Secretaria de Relações Internacionais | Office of International Relations

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) achieved outstanding results in the 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, one of the most relevant international indicators of academic performance by subject area, published by QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

By broad subject area, UFSC ranks among the best universities in the world in:

Engineering & Technology —401–450 range
Life Sciences & Medicine —501–550 range
Arts & Humanities —501–550 range

The university also demonstrated improvement in academic performance and scientific impact, reflected in indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, h-index, and international research network.

Highlights by Specific Subjects

UFSC achieved its strongest results in the following subjects:

🏆 Petroleum Engineering — 51–100 (best institutional result)
🥈 Nursing — 101–150
🥉 Anthropology — 101–200
🔹 Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering — 201–250
🔹 Chemical Engineering — 201–250
🔹 Agriculture & Forestry — 201–250

In total, UFSC had 17 subjects ranked in the 2026 edition, highlighting the diversity and quality of its academic and scientific production across different fields of knowledge.

The QS Subject Rankings evaluate thousands of universities worldwide and consider criteria such as global academic reputation, employer recognition, research impact, and international collaboration.

On Thursday, 9 October 2025, Times Higher Education (THE) released the World University Rankings 2026, evaluating 2,191 institutions from 115 countries and territories. In this edition, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) was placed among the 1,001–1,200 best universities in the world.

UFSC’s performance in each indicator is presented below, showing the current score and its variation compared with the previous edition.

• Overall: 32.1–35.4
• Teaching: 36.3 (+2.6 points)
• Research Environment: 22.4 (unchanged)
• Research Quality: 40.8 (+0.4 points)
• Industry: 65.5 (–0.7 points)
• International Outlook: 37.0 (+1.1 points)

The ranking evaluates universities across 13 performance indicators, grouped into five core pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry, and International Outlook. UFSC continues to stand out in the Industry pillar, with 65.5 points, reflecting its strong engagement with the productive sector.

Times Higher Education is a British magazine specializing in higher education, internationally recognized for its balanced and reliable university rankings.

UFSC ranks 8th in Brazil in QS World University Rankings

This post is available in Brazilian Portuguese only. Please access the website in Portuguese to read it.

The QS World University Rankings 2026, released on 19 June by the British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), evaluated 1,501 higher education institutions across 106 countries and territories. Among the 32 Brazilian universities featured, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) maintains its position as one of the leading higher education institutions in Brazil and the world.

In the 2026 edition, UFSC is ranked in the 801-850 range globally. Nationally, it is recognized as the 8th best university in Brazil, reinforcing its academic excellence and its ongoing commitment to high-quality teaching, research, and internationalization.

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The Times Higher Education (THE) published today, 18 June, the Impact Rankings 2025, which ranks 2,526 universities from 130 countries or territories based on their progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the overall ranking, UFSC is placed in the 601–800 range, with a score of 66.4. Regarding the SDGs, the university performed best in the following areas:

• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being: ranked 201-300 overall, among 1,788 universities assessed, with a score of 66.4;
• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: ranked 201-300 overall, among 1,181 universities assessed, with a score of 58.2;
• SDG 17 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16): ranked 301-400 overall, among 1,256 institutions assessed, with a score of 59.1.

UFSC also stood out in SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation), SGD 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), and SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production).

About THE and the Impact Rankings

Times Higher Education (THE) is a British magazine that publishes news and articles on higher education and annually produces a set of rankings considered among the most comprehensive, balanced and reliable in the world. In addition to the institutional actions related to the SDGs, THE also ranks institutions based on the research conducted for each goal.

The Impact Rankings specifically highlight universities that stand out in relation to the United Nations SDGs, not only in individual areas but also in their overall contribution to sustainable global development. By excelling in a variety of SDGs, these universities showcase their commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, including environmental sustainability, social inclusion and economic growth.

For more information, visit the website: www.timeshighereducation.com/impactrankings

See the digital edition of the Impact Rankings 2025

This post is available in Brazilian Portuguese only. Please access the website in Portuguese to read it.