Imperial has gone up in the world rankings and remains third in the UK in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2024.

Imperial has risen two places from tenth to eighth in the world in this year’s rankings and is, once again, top London university in the rankings. Imperial also recently placed among the world’s top ten universities in the QS World University Rankings for 2024. 

Imperial’s President, Professor Hugh Brady, said: “This latest recognition is testament to the achievements and dedication of our staff and students who are taking on the world’s big challenges. Imperial keeps going from strength to strength and I’m hugely proud of our research, teaching, convening power and impact.” 

Rigorous methodology 

In its 20th year, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings assess 1,904 universities from 108 countries and regions. They are the most comprehensive and rigorous rankings of their kind, evaluating research-intensive universities across 18 indicators related to teaching, research, global outlook and industry.  

This year’s rankings include five new metrics, four of which look at research quality while another examines patents in the industry pillar, to better understand universities’ development of intellectual property. 

The UK has three universities in the top ten, seven in the top 50, 11 in the top 100 and 25 in the top 200. Imperial ranked sixth for its international outlook, eighth for research quality, and 12th for teaching.  

Professor Ian Walmsley, Provost of Imperial College London said: “Imperial continues to deliver world-changing research, teaching and impact. All of this depends on exceptional people, and I commend our entire community for our shared achievements.”

International outlook 

With seven fellow top ten universities in the US, Imperial continues to strengthen its ties across the Atlantic – for example with a recent Presidential visit to San Fransisco and the Bay Area including Stanford University (the top institution in the US, according to THE). 

Imperial is also actively working with partners in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America to solve major challenges including climate change. 

For example, in May, Imperial and the University of Tokyo (Japan’s top university, according to THE) announced a major new strategic relationship for cleantech and energy research, ahead of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. 

Then in September, Imperial announced it would be continuing a research partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (India’s top university, according to THE). 

A world-leader in AI and quantum tech 

Whilst the latest THE ranking represents important recognition, Imperial places a clear focus on achieving enduring excellence in research and education for the benefit of society. 

Indeed, the latest rankings follow a series of achievements for Imperial over the past couple of years, including its best-ever results in the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) and a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of pioneering work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Earlier in the year, Imperial launched QuEST, which gathers world-leading experts in quantum science and engineering to develop technologies of the future - as well as the I-X initiative to tackle global challenges with artificial intelligence (AI) and data science.