University of Limerick jumps 20 places in new world university ranking

THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick is now ranked 401 in the world according to the World University Rankings 2026 by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), jumping 20 places since last year. 

UL is now placed in the top 3% of universities worldwide with the University also ranked in fifth place in Ireland, thanks to the significant jump in the rating for the institution’s academic reputation.

It is the third year in a row that UL has improved its standing globally against the backdrop of increased competition from universities and discussions around long-term funding for the sector.

More than 1,500 institutions in 106 countries were included in the survey, which ranked the institutions across the five broad indicators of Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, and Sustainability.

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Acting UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins said: “This significant rise in the QS World University Rankings is a proud moment for University of Limerick and a testament to the dedication of our entire community. To be ranked 401 globally and fifth in Ireland is not just a reflection of academic excellence - it is a recognition of the public good that a university like UL delivers every day."

“This achievement, especially in a time of global uncertainty and increased competition, underscores the resilience and ambition of our staff and students." Kilcommins said. "It also highlights the importance of sustained investment in higher education as a driver of innovation, economic development, and societal wellbeing. We will continue to build on this momentum to ensure UL remains a beacon of excellence, opportunity, and impact for the Mid-West region and the world.”

UL remains as one of the best performing universities in the world in a new impact ranking of more than 2,300 universities.

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings are a global performance benchmark which measure the positive societal impact the university is having in contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

UL is ranked in the top 50 universities in the world, in five of the individual SDGs and 76th overall.

UL Vice President of Research and Innovation, Kevin Ryan, said: “It is very satisfying to see that UL is continuing to improve in the rankings in what is a challenging time for higher education."

“I am particularly pleased to see our score for academic reputation improve. One of our strategic goals in our research strategy Wisdom for Action, is to champion excellent research and contribute towards global challenges.”

UL is second in Ireland and one of only two Irish universities in the world’s Top 100 and is in the top 3% of higher education institutions worldwide despite moving from 61 last year to 76 overall this year.