Global university rankings are an influential tool for students evaluating institutions, but there is a hidden story behind the final rankings.
Take, for example, KU Leuven’s climb from 45th to 43rd place in this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) world university ranking. This is a notable accomplishment, as THE assesses over 2,800 universities worldwide. Whilst the rise in final ranking will garner attention, a closer look at the metrics behind this rise reveals key areas in which the university is further solidifying its international reputation.
Internationalisation is one domain where KU Leuven consistently excels. This year again, the university improved in THE’s subscores for international staff (+2.5%) and international students (+2%). With nearly 20% of the student body now coming from abroad, the university is fostering a diverse, multicultural environment that resonates with international students. This commitment creates a welcoming space for English-speaking students at a Dutch-language institution, while enhancing the value of a KU Leuven degree worldwide as graduates embark on their careers.
Another area driving KU Leuven’s rankings improvement is research. According to Phil Baty, THE’s Global Affairs Officer, “THE uses 18 comprehensive and balanced performance metrics to judge world-class research universities – and the main driver for KU Leuven’s improvement is the ‘citation impact’ metric, which measures the average quality of universities’ research publications.”
KU Leuven has always been renowned as a research institution, a place where scholars make breakthroughs of international significance. What this metric highlights are increases in both the reputation and reach of that research, all whilst fostering a supportive environment for innovative work. These developments reflect the university’s mission to advance knowledge globally, which is only possible if that knowledge reaches and is leveraged by other researchers around the world.
Even so, KU Leuven students remain the first beneficiaries, as the latest research discoveries and insights are integrated into their studies and hands-on learning experiences.
Another eye-catching result is KU Leuven ranking at 25th in the QS World Sustainability Rankings. Yet here, too, the components of that ranking tell the true tale. Specifically, KU Leuven ranked second in the world in the ‘education impact’ category. This metric measures an institution's ability to tackle the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges. This impressive result is grounded in KU Leuven’s academic freedom and governmental funding, research output supporting the UN sustainability development goal for ‘education quality’ (SDG 4), and high rankings in relevant subjects (Education, Politics, Social Policy, Law and Art & Design).
In that same QS sustainability ranking, KU Leuven ranked 5th in ‘knowledge exchange’. This criterion rewards initiatives like the Leuven 2030 Urban Lab, which addresses existing sustainability challenges at local and regional level; the Children’s University; free massive online courses (MOOC’s) and many more socially engaged and sustainable projects.
KU Leuven’s commitment to excellence is evident across all disciplines, with the institution ranking in the top 100 in all academic areas assessed by THE. This broad recognition highlights a university that values and pursues excellence across the board, from academic offerings to extracurricular and interdisciplinary opportunities. Achieving this level of distinction is rare, making KU Leuven the only continental European university in the top 100 to reach this standard in every field.
KU Leuven’s accomplishments reflect both its dedication to international engagement and its cutting-edge research environment, drawing students from around the world to join a thriving academic community. Its global outlook and academic excellence make it an inspiring choice for those seeking a world-class education.
Are you looking to become part of a globally engaged academic community? KU Leuven stands out in every field.
Visit KU Leuven’s webpage for prospective students to discover everything the university has to offer.
