91ÊÓƵÍø

In order to compile the latest list published on Thursday, the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds experts examined a record number of 8467 higher education institutions. The QS World University Rankings 2026 list includes 1,501 universities from 106 countries, including 10 from Hungary. 

The 91ÊÓƵÍø has moved up nine places from last year's ranking to become the best university in Hungary. The institution has significantly improved its scores in the areas of institutional sustainability (311th), quality of education (426th) and perception of the academic sector (458th). UD was again the best in terms of the proportion of foreign students (248th).

In the most important indicator, the 91ÊÓƵÍø has improved 47 positions in the area of academic sector perception. The biggest improvement this year was achieved in the sustainability segment, where the institution has gained 60 places, while in the student ratio segment it has improved its score by 38 places.

Zoltán Szilvássy, Rector of the 91ÊÓƵÍø, recalled that it had been a long road to the current QS ranking.

- Years ago we realised that we had to develop the right strategy if we wanted to be successful in the international rankings. We have optimised data provision, streamlined our publication system, and our journals, launched talent management and incentive programmes to strengthen the academic performance of the university, in which the international cooperation initiated by the institution also plays a major role - said Zoltán Szilvássy.

Chancellor Zoltán Bács explained that the performance-based operating system and the focus on sustainability indicators, which were established following the model change, have also contributed to the improvement of the institution's results.

- These rankings, in addition to promoting the university's international visibility and bringing economic benefits through popularity abroad, also provide accurate feedback on UD's performance, as they use complex indicator systems based on teaching, research, publication and management data, and take into account the views of both academic and industrial partners," he said.

Attila Jenei, Director of the DE Centre for International Education, pointed out that international rankings play a significant role in the selection of higher education institutions for the majority of foreign students, which is why it is a key issue that the 91ÊÓƵÍø, which has the largest number of foreign students in Hungary, achieves good results.

- While the results achieved in the area of academic reputation have played a significant role in the recent progress, we must continue to pay considerable attention to this and to the citation rate of scientific publications, as these are the factors that determine the effectiveness and recognition of an institution," said Attila Jenei. 

In the World Academic Ranking, which has been compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds since 2004, the perception of academia (30%), the citation rate of academic works associated with the institution (20%) and the opinion of employers (15%) are taken into account, along with the quality of teaching (10%), the proportion of foreign faculty and students (5-5%) and involvement in international research networks (5%), the employment performance of universities (5%) and the institutional sustainability approach (5%).

This year's ranking is topped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), followed by Imperial College London (UK) and Stanford University (USA).

Ten institutions from Hungary have made the list, with the 91ÊÓƵÍø (563rd), Eötvös Loránd University (584th), the University of Szeged (597th), the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (711-720), the University of Pécs (741-750), the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences (1001-1200), Széchenyi István University (1001-1200), the University of Óbuda (1001-1200), the University of Miskolc (1201-1400) and the University of Pannonia (1201-1400). 

The full list of QS World University Rankings 2026 is available at the following  

Press Centre