The University of Groningen has climbed twelve places this year in the QS World University Rankings 2026, now ranking 147th out of more than 1,500 universities.
This makes the UG one of nine Dutch universities that have improved their positions this year. All Dutch universities are ranked within the top 350, a feat that, according to the ranking’s organisers, few countries can match.
Delft University of Technology is the highest-ranking Dutch institution at number 47, followed by the University of Amsterdam at number 53. The list is topped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, followed by Imperial College London.
Best in Europe
According to the QS-ranking compilers, Dutch universities collectively performed the best in Europe this year. However, they also caution that the Netherlands should be careful with the announced budget cuts and plans to reduce the internationalisation of education.
With nine universities improving their positions, the Netherlands ranks second globally among countries where the most universities have made progress (after Ireland).
The strong performance of Dutch universities is primarily attributed to the criterion of ‘reputation among academics and employers’, which accounts for 35 percent of the overall score.
Criticism
There is growing criticism of rankings like the QS list. The umbrella organisation Universities of the Netherlands argues that the criteria used are arbitrary and would prefer less emphasis be placed on such rankings.
At the UG, rankings have also been a topic of debate for years. The university acknowledges that these kinds of lists can present a skewed perspective. Nevertheless, it cannot ignore them entirely, as prospective students—especially international ones—often rely on rankings to make their decisions.