Update from the Principal on university rankings

Published: 14 June 2021

Glasgow is now 73rd in the QS 2022 World University Rankings

Dear Colleagues,

In December last year, I asked for your support in sharing your international academic or employer contacts as part of our QS World Ranking 2022 submission.

I’m delighted to say that thanks to your collective contributions, Glasgow is now 73rd in the QS 2022 World University Rankings, an increase of four places.

Our improved world top 100 position will continue to afford us influence in research, recruitment and partnership opportunities - all of which are ever-more important within today’s context.

This year we made gains in nearly all indicators.  In particular, our improved reputation metrics - which have a combined weighting of 50% - will have contributed to our enhanced position overall.

Our Academic Reputation metric (40% weighting) improved by 3 places in a competitive space within the top 100 for the first time since 2014, and our Employer Reputation (10% weighting) is now in the top 100.

Aside from Reputation, Citations per faculty at 20% weighting forms a core part of our global ranking. In the past, we have established the university would benefit from raising the profile of research, and this is an area we will certainly look to advance in future. We will engage in dialogue with the Deans of Research to help identify the most effective routes to pursue across the Colleges.

Despite our improved position for 2022, we have not yet recovered to our highest held position of 67th in 2020.  Since 2014, there has been increasing global competition in the top 100.

For that reason, I ask for your continued support in sharing your insight and ideas to further strengthen our approach to building our reputation worldwide. As an internationally connected community of people, your contributions are invaluable.

I would like to extend an open invitation to get in touch to share suggestions. Further information sessions will be run in due course to plan our activities for the 2023 submission.

I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in recent times as a collective and, as we enter our new strategic planning cycle, we will look to grow our global reputation further as World Changers Together.

Best wishes,

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli
Principal and Vice-Chancellor


First published: 14 June 2021