The University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London have grabbed some of the top spots in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, with Oxford coming first for the 10th year in a row. Cambridge rose to joint third from fifth place in 2025, and Imperial climbed one place from ninth to eighth. Overall, 11 UK universities made it into Times Higher Education’s (THE) top 100 worldwide. The rankings include factors such as teaching reputation, research reputation and strength, and institutional, research and industry income. Elsewhere in the world, Ireland’s top-ranked university – Trinity College Dublin – has seen its ranking fall from 139th to 173rd, its worst performance.
