The QS rankings are leading global university rankings created since 2004 by QS Quacquarelli Symondsa – a leader in providing analytical services for the international higher education sector. These rankings are one of the most popular data sources for future students comparing achievements of universities.

QS compares universities in five broad areas (Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences & Management), as well as in 55 narrower disciplines.

In 2026, out of more than 6,200 universities evaluated by QS, over 1,900 were included in the final ranking. 150 more than in the previous edition.

In the English Language & Literature category, we ranked third in the country, surpassed only by the University of Warsaw and the Jagiellonian University. In the Linguistics category, we placed fourth in Poland.

“These year’s QS ranking results are a great joy and something we should be proud of,” says dr Marcin Tereszewski from the Institute of English Studies. “Being placed in the 251–300 range worldwide in English Language & Literature is proof that our work and commitment are giving tangible results. This position is a result of our high scores in the Academic Reputation category, reflecting the recognition our staff enjoys within the international academic community. For years, researchers from the Institute of English Studies at the University of Wrocław have been gaining academic experience at leading centres in Europe, the United States, and Canada. They carry out international research projects and publish in collaboration with scholars from around the world, including institutions such as the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, the University of Florida, the University of Alberta, the University of Toronto, and the University of Duisburg-Essen,” dr Tereszewski explains.

“A particular source of pride is our participation in the prestigious programme Erasmus Mundus International Master: Children’s Literature, Media, and Culture (CLMC). The University of Wrocław is one of six partners in this consortium, alongside institutions such as the University of Glasgow (the coordinating institution), Tilburg University, Aarhus University, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and the University of British Columbia. The involvement of the Institute of English Studies in this programme confirms that we are perceived as a valuable and reliable academic partner on the international arena. We are proud of what we have achieved and motivated to continue developing international cooperation,” concludes dr Tereszewski.

In turn, dr hab. Krzysztof Migdalski, prof., comments on the result in the Linguistics category: “We are very pleased with such a high ranking in linguistics, which is the result of many years of work by our team and the strong internationalization of our research. Linguists from the Institute of English Studies at the University of Wrocław have for years gained educational and academic experience at leading research centres in Europe and the United States (including earning doctoral degrees and completing postdoctoral fellowships there), and today they carry out international research projects and publish in collaboration with scholars from around the world.”

“An important role in this success is played by the Centre for Corpus and Experimental Research on Slavic Languages, which was established as part of the ‘Slavicus’ Scientific Excellence Incubator,” he adds. “The Centre’s research activity combines theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches in comparative studies of Slavic and Baltic languages. The projects carried out there, including the development of an innovative parallel corpus of multiple languages, have an international scope and strengthen the global position of our institution. Our staff is also becoming increasingly international, as both the Institute of English Studies and the Slavicus Centre employ researchers from abroad, which encourages knowledge exchange and the development of global collaboration,” explains dr hab. Krzysztof Migdalski, prof. UWr.

In the Physics & Astronomy category, we ranked eighth among Polish higher education institutions and fourth among Polish universities.

In addition to the three narrower disciplines, the University of Wrocław was also ranked in one of the five broad subject areas of the QS World University Rankings by Subject. The university placed in the TOP 451–500 in Arts & Humanities – number four in the country. Among Polish universities, the University of Warsaw ranked first, the Jagiellonian University second, and Adam Mickiewicz University third.

The Arts & Humanities field, in addition to Linguistics, includes disciplines such as archaeology, architecture, art (Art & Design), history, ancient history (Classics & Ancient History), modern languages, English language and literature, history of art, philosophy, theology, and religious studies.

Methodology

The methodology of the QS World University Rankings by Subject is based on several key indicators, with the most important being the institution’s reputation among academic staff. Depending on the broad subject area evaluated, this indicator carries a weight ranging from 40% (Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences) up to as much as 60% (Arts & Humanities). In the case of narrower disciplines, its weight can be even higher, reaching up to 80%. QS gathers opinions on the quality of research and teaching at universities via surveys conducted among more than 150,000 researchers worldwide.

Another important indicator, also derived from surveys, is the reputation of the institution and its graduates among employers. This indicator carries a weight from 10% (Life Sciences & Medicine) to 30% (Engineering & Technology, Social Sciences & Management). The remaining indicators include citations, weighted at 7.5% for Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences & Management, 10% for Engineering & Technology, 15% for Natural Sciences, and 20% for Life Sciences & Medicine. The Hirsch index is assigned the same weights. The final indicator that is taken into account is IRN (International Research Network), which measures the effectiveness with which institutions build stable international research collaborations. It carries a weight of 5% to 10%.

Detailed information about the ranking results can be found on the topuniversities website.

Translated by Julia Szołtysik (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.

Prepared by: E.K.
Date of publication: 25.03.2026