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Seoul National University again leads Korean institutions in QS 2026 rankings

Published: 19 Jun. 2025, 09:37 Updated: 19 Jun. 2025, 19:28

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

Seoul National University graduates attend their graduation ceremony at the university campus in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on Feb. 26. [NEWS1]

Seoul National University again took the lead among Korean universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2026 World University Rankings, with Yonsei University following, as KAIST was excluded from this year's rankings.

Seoul National University ranked 38th in the 2026 World University Rankings released Thursday by QS, being the highest ranked Korean university. The university has long been Korea's highest ranked institution for the ranking, placing 31st last year.

QS has been publishing the rankings since 2004, with this year's featuring over 1,500 institutions from around the world.

The 2026 QS World University Ranking uses 10 indicators, which are: academic reputation, citations per faculty, employer reputation, employment outcomes, international faculty ratio, international research network, international student diversity, international student ratio, faculty student ratio and sustainability.

International student diversity was newly introduced for the 2026 cycle, although it was used as an unweighted indicator this year. It assesses the proportion of international students within the overall student body, as well as the diversity of their nationalities.

Yonsei University was the second highest Korean university, placed at 50th, up from its previous year's rank of 56th.

KAIST had traditionally placed high, being the second highest ranked Korean university for the previous 2025 World University Rankings at 53rd. However, the university was excluded from QS rankings for one year starting June after a controversial survey incident.

The decision follows a KAIST professor emailing various professors abroad, saying those participating in an academic reputation survey, which was to be used in the QS rankings, will get a gift token.

Yonsei University also celebrated its rise in rankings, highlighting efforts to promote research.

Its Yonsei Signature Research Cluster project offers grants to researchers in fields that Yonsei specializes in, such as energy, AI, climate change and biomedical science. The Yonsei Frontier Lab also arranges various research projects and conferences for Yonsei's researchers.

"Yonsei University will continue to grow to further solidify its global presence in academia, strengthening global research and academic partnerships to achieve a quantum leap," said Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-sup. "Amid fierce competition among Asian universities in China, Singapore and Hong Kong, we will continue to expand interdisciplinary research and create joint international research opportunities as a research-centered university committed to solving the complex challenges facing humanity."

Korea University was the third-highest ranked Korean university at 61st, up from the previous year's 67th place.

Pohang University of Science and Technology followed in 102nd place, although falling from last year's 98th place.

Sungkyunkwan University ranked 126th, down from last year's 123rd. Hanyang University placed 159th, up from last year's 162nd. Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology ranked 310th, slipping from 280th last year. Kyung Hee University placed 331st, edging down from last year's 328th. Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology placed 370th, falling from last year's 326th place.

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology was the 10th highest Korean university in the world rankings, placing 385th. However, the university fell from last year's placement at 359th.

Sejong University followed at 392nd, up from last year's 396th. Pusan National University ranked 473rd, jumping from last year's 524th place. Chung-Ang University placed 479th, up from 489th. Ewha Womans University ranked 504th, up from last year's 511th. Kyungpook National University placed 519th, slightly down from last year's 516th. Sogang University came 558th, up from last year's 576th.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]