{"id":18809,"date":"2026-05-12T13:01:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T11:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/?p=18809"},"modified":"2026-06-02T13:01:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T11:01:36","slug":"qs-world-university-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/qs-world-university-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"QS World University Rankings Catalonia: best universities and degrees in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Are you thinking of choosing a university according to the QS World University Rankings Catalonia?<\/p>\n

In this article, we analyse which Catalan universities are among the best in the world<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>

What is the QS World University Rankings?<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

The QS World University Rankings evaluates universities around the world<\/strong>, 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to presenting an annual ranking of the best universities in the world, it also publishes rankings by area of study<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>

How does the QS Ranking work?<\/b><\/h2><\/div>

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

Specifically, the calculation is based on the following factors:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Academic reputation (40%)<\/li>\n
  2. Employer reputation (10%)<\/li>\n
  3. Student-to-faculty ratio (20%)<\/li>\n
  4. Citations per faculty (20%)<\/li>\n
  5. International faculty ratio (5%) and international student ratio (5%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    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<\/b> to the universities that apply. It evaluates teaching quality, employability, internationalisation, research level, infrastructure<\/b>, among other criteria. It is a way for institutions to receive a quality seal from a specialised and highly reputable organisation.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    QS World University Rankings Catalonia: Best university degrees<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

    One of the most relevant aspects of the QS World University Rankings Catalonia<\/b> is which university degrees stand out internationally<\/b>. 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.<\/p>\n

    Catalonia has 10 university degrees in the world top 50<\/b> in their respective fields, 6 of which belong to Catalan public universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Position<\/b><\/td>\nPublic University Degree<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    19<\/td>\nArchitecture at UPC<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    25<\/td>\nVeterinary Medicine at UAB<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    31<\/td>\nEconomics at UPF<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    41<\/td>\nLibrary and Information Science at UB<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    44<\/td>\nMedicine at UB<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    49<\/td>\nLinguistics at UAB<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Position<\/b><\/td>\nPrivate University Degree<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    14<\/td>\nSant Pol de Mar Culinary School<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    18<\/td>\nBusiness Administration at URL<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    19<\/td>\nMarketing at URL<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    36<\/td>\nDentistry at UIC<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>

    Catalan universities among the best in the world according to QS World University Ranking<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>

    It should be noted that, beyond this year\u2019s specific position, the presence of Catalan universities among the best in the world is becoming consolidated.<\/p>\n

    The Universitat de Barcelona (UB)<\/b> 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.<\/p>\n

    The 172nd place goes to the Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona (UAB)<\/b>, 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.<\/p>\n

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

    Finally, the Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya (UPC)<\/b> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    \"QS<\/span><\/div>
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    University<\/b><\/td>\nWorld Position<\/b><\/td>\nNational Position<\/b><\/td>\nMost notable aspect<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Universitat de Barcelona (UB)<\/a><\/td>\n160<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nHigh international academic reputation and relevant research<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona (UAB)<\/a><\/td>\n170<\/td>\n2<\/td>\nStrong focus on research and one of the most complete in terms of academic offering<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)<\/a><\/td>\n265<\/td>\n6<\/td>\nExcellent performance in teaching and research<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya (UPC)<\/a><\/td>\n392<\/td>\n9<\/td>\nA benchmark in Engineering, Architecture and Technology<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    The Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) also stand out.<\/p>\n