QS World University Rankings Catalonia: best universities and degrees in Barcelona

Are you thinking of choosing a university according to the QS World University Rankings Catalonia?

In this article, we analyse which Catalan universities are among the best in the world and in which areas and degrees they have the greatest international recognition. In addition, we help you understand how the QS ranking works and what aspects you should take into account if you want to study in Barcelona or in other university cities in Catalonia.

The QS World University Rankings evaluates universities around the world, taking into account academic reputation, the research carried out and prestige among employers. From this, several rankings are produced that assess universities by field of study and by region, as in the case of the QS World University Rankings Catalonia.

In addition to presenting an annual ranking of the best universities in the world, it also publishes rankings by area of study, making it very useful when choosing the best universities in the field you want to study. This is why many international students use this ranking to choose the most recognised university to study the university degree they are interested in.

The British consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd conducts surveys with thousands of academics and recruiters around the world to evaluate institutions. Objective data, such as bibliographic citations, are also added.

Specifically, the calculation is based on the following factors:

1. Academic reputation (40%)
2. Employer reputation (10%)
3. Student-to-faculty ratio (20%)
4. Citations per faculty (20%)
5. International faculty ratio (5%) and international student ratio (5%)

There are also QS Stars, a voluntary assessment that some universities undergo as a form of audit. As a result, QS awards 0 to 5 stars to the universities that apply. It evaluates teaching quality, employability, internationalisation, research level, infrastructure, among other criteria. It is a way for institutions to receive a quality seal from a specialised and highly reputable organisation.

One of the most relevant aspects of the QS World University Rankings Catalonia is which university degrees stand out internationally. The QS ranking by areas of study makes it possible to identify which degrees are most highly rated worldwide and at which universities they are taught.

Catalonia has 10 university degrees in the world top 50 in their respective fields, 6 of which belong to Catalan public universities.

On the other hand, private universities have fewer degrees within the world top 50, but in general they achieve more prominent positions in the ranking.

It should be noted that, beyond this year’s specific position, the presence of Catalan universities among the best in the world is becoming consolidated.

The Universitat de Barcelona (UB) leads the national landscape within the QS ranking. It is ranked 160th in the world and stands out for its performance in the areas of Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences.

The 172nd place goes to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), which is among the top 12% of universities in the world. It has managed to consolidate itself as one of the most complete institutions. Its strongest aspects are research and its wide academic offering.

In position number 265 we find the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). It is especially recognised for the quality of its teaching and research. It is one of the young universities with the best international projection.

Finally, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) ranks 392nd and stands out in technical areas. It is one of the best options if you want to study engineering, architecture or technology in a highly specialised environment.

The Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) also stand out.

• Universitat Ramon Llull (URL): It is especially relevant in employability and in studies related to Business Administration and Management. It is one of the highest-rated universities in these areas in Spain.
• Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV): It maintains a steady presence in the ranking and good international projection. It stands out for its growth in research in recent years.

To clearly see the Catalan universities among the best in the world in the field of the university degree you want to study. Not all institutions stand out in the same areas, and this analysis by field is key to making a good academic decision.

Below, we analyse which are the best positioned in each field.

In the field of arts and humanities, we find degrees such as Philosophy, History and Languages. In the highest positions, we find three Catalan universities:

In Engineering and Technology degrees, UPC leads, entering the top 100 of the QS World University Ranking.

Once again, in the field of Natural Sciences, we find the pair of universities UB and UAB, which show strong academic performance, especially in degrees such as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

Once again, in the field of Natural Sciences, we find the pair of universities UB and UAB, which show strong academic performance, especially in degrees such as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

The Universitat Ramon Llull stands out for its strong positioning in areas such as Economics, Business and Marketing, thanks to an educational offering that is highly oriented towards the professional world. On a broader level, UPF, UB and UAB also stand out, maintaining a high level in this field. In fact, it is the field in which we find the greatest presence of Catalan universities among the best positioned internationally.

Often, studying at the best universities within the QS World University Rankings Catalonia means having to move to live near them, usually in Barcelona, although, as we have seen, some fields excel in other areas of the region.

At Unihabit, we know that having a good environment is just as important during this university stage. That is why we offer students the perfect accommodation to develop properly during their university experience.

• University residence Barcelona: Whether in Ciutat Vella or at the residence in Gràcia, Barcelona, we offer rooms and apartments specially equipped for student life. They are located just a few minutes from the Catalan universities that are among the best in the world.
• University residence Sant Cugat: Within the ETSAV-UPC campus and with fast connections to ESADE, UAB and UIC, we offer the university residence in Sant Cugat, designed to facilitate students’ personal and academic growth.
• University residence Girona: In one of the best university cities in Catalonia, we offer rooms close to most university faculties and to the most cutting-edge research and development centres of the University of Girona.
• University residence Manresa: Next to the UPC and UManresa, we offer students different types of rooms to adapt to their needs.

In the overall ranking, the best university in the QS World Rankings Barcelona is the Universitat de Barcelona (UB). In addition, it also leads the rankings in Natural Sciences, Life Sciences and Medicine, and Arts and Humanities.

Catalonia has several universities among the best positioned in the world according to the QS World University Rankings. As you know, in first place we have the Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), both within the global top 200. The Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) also have a strong presence, with good international performance.

In addition, other universities such as the Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) also appear in the global ranking. They are not in the top positions, but they maintain international recognition and stand out in specific areas such as business or research.

Catalonia stands out especially in social sciences and in the field of health. Universities such as UPF, UB and URL have a strong position in areas such as economics, business and marketing, with a clear professional orientation.

At the same time, medicine is one of the most highly rated disciplines. UB and UAB stand out for their level of research, their links with hospitals and their international recognition within the healthcare field.

The score in the QS World University Rankings is expressed out of 100. This means that each university receives an overall assessment on a scale from 0 to 100 based on different indicators such as academic reputation, employability, research and internationalisation.

The university with the best performance, currently the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), receives a score of 100 and the rest are positioned in relation to it. Therefore, it is not an absolute grade, but rather a way of comparing each university’s level with others worldwide.

If you are going to study at one of the best universities in the QS World University Rankings in Catalonia, choosing where to live is key. In this regard, Unihabit allows you to live in strategic locations in Barcelona, close to universities such as the Universitat de Barcelona or centres linked to the Universitat Ramon Llull. For example, the residence in Ciutat Vella is located right in the city centre, just a few minutes from university campuses and with direct access to public transport and services.

In addition, living in a residence such as Unihabit is not just a matter of location. It also offers a safe environment, with study spaces, common areas and included services that make students’ day-to-day life easier.