Birkbeck maintains a strong global position in the top 2% of universities worldwide in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027

Birkbeck has maintained a strong position in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, announced today, ranking in the top 326-350 from over 2200 universities.

Building on recent achievements in teaching and student development, Birkbeck showed improvements in teaching, placing 28th in the UK (up from 37th in 2026) and achieved an overall score of 38.2 (34.2 in 2026).

The rankings assess universities across five broad areas – teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook – using 18 performance indicators; and help students understand the different strengths and missions of universities when considering where to study.

Professor Sally Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor said, “We are delighted to see Birkbeck maintain a strong position in the 2027 THE World University Rankings, featuring within the top 2% of all universities worldwide and showing improvements for teaching. These scores are testament to Birkbeck's standing as one of the world's leading universities offering research informed teaching of the highest quality alongside support for students to fit their individual circumstances and ambitions.”

Birkbeck’s latest result comes after several years of notable achievements for the university. In 2025, Birkbeck was placed among the 201–300 most prestigious universities in the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, an improvement on its previous position and a reflection of the views of more than 55,000 academics surveyed internationally.

The university has also continued to develop its research infrastructure. In September 2025, Birkbeck secured £1.9 million of investment to expand its microscopy facilities, supporting research into structural and molecular biology. Later that year, it was awarded £1.97 million by the Office for Students to establish a new Centre for Creative AI, which is scheduled to open in the Autumn and is designed to strengthen student learning and links with industry.

Rankings such as THE’s World University Rankings are especially important as students weigh up their options and lean on the rankings to provide a useful snapshot of institutional performance.