The UPM, among the best universities worldwide according to the “QS Ranking”
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid continues improving its position in the latest edition of the QS World University Ranking. It is placed amongst the 25% of the best higher education institutions worldwide and the first Spanish technical university.
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) ranked 321 in the 2025 edition of the international classification of higher education institutions QS World University Ranking. This edition, the UPM rises 28 positions, improving with respect to the previous edition of the ranking placed in the top 22% worldwide.
This means, explains the vice-rector for Quality and Efficiency of the UPM, Alberto Garrido, that the “Universidad Politécnica de Madrid is better than the 78% of universities.” Taking this fact into account, furthermore, in this edition a total amount of 5,663 institutions have been evaluated, compared to 2,963 last year: “the UPM continues improving its position despite doubling the number of institutions evaluated,” he emphasizes.
The ranking classifies universities from around the world based on parameters such as academic excellence, impact and quality of scientific work, the recognition of their graduates in companies or the proportion of international professors and students.
In this edition, the UPM reaches position 321, its highest ever achieved, and becomes the first Spanish technical university classified.
Amongst the 25% best universities in the QS World University Ranking
Reputation and sustainability data are, among other indicators, the factors that have driven the UPM to be amongst the top 22% of the ranking.
Specifically, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid stands out especially in the criteria related to employability, institutions which are providing the best-prepared graduates for work, and also according to employment results indicators. The latter reflects the ability of institutions to ensure a high level of employability for their graduates. In the first indicator, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid is placed among the best 150 universities worldwide, while in terms of employment is among the best two hundred ones.
The UPM also stands out in sustainability data, which evaluates the social and environmental impact of universities as education and research centers. In this field the UPM appears placed among the 120 best in the world.
Other factors considered in the ranking of universities are academic excellence; the impact and quality of scientific work produced by universities, which is calculated using data from Scopus, International Research Networks; the relationship between the number of students; and the proportion of international teachers and students.
The Ranking is topped by American and British centers. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) places first, followed by Imperial College of London and the University of Oxford. Harvard and Cambridge universities occupy fourth and fifth positions, respectively. The classification includes 35 Spanish institutions, led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ranked 164), Barcelona (165) and the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (175).