The University of Oxford has once again been named the world’s top university, securing the number one position in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 for the tenth consecutive year. We are especially proud that Economics at Oxford is ranked first in Europe and fourth globally, reflecting sustained excellence in research, teaching and international impact across the Department.
The subject rankings, published alongside the overall global tables, apply the same rigorous methodology as the main rankings, with 1,067 universities from 91 countries and territories evaluated. Performance is assessed across a range of indicators, including teaching environment, research influence, international outlook and industry engagement.
The Department of Economics was ranked number one globally for research environment, highlighting the scale, quality and influence of its research activity relative to leading institutions worldwide. This indicator captures both research volume and the strength of the environment supporting researchers, including collaboration, funding and the capacity to generate new knowledge.
These results reflect the Department’s longstanding commitment to high-quality research, curriculum development and policy-relevant scholarship. Oxford economists contribute widely to international academic and policy debates, with research spanning areas such as macroeconomic stability, climate policy, inequality and international development.
