Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The University of Oxford has once again topped the Times Higher Education World University Rankings as the best university in the world for a record eighth consecutive year. The rankings – announced in Sydney, Australia today – rate 1,904 universities from 108 countries around the world.

Oxford skyline at sunset

Oxford was followed in the THE World Rankings 2024 by Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which placed second and third, respectively.

This year’s rating considers 18 calibrated performance indicators measuring each university’s performance in five areas: teaching (the learning environment); research environment (volume, income and reputation); research quality (citation impact, research strength, research excellence and research influence); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry (income and patents). Oxford University excelled in all areas while strongly standing out in research environment and quality, teaching and industry, based on how often a university’s research is cited in patents.

Oxford’s ranking was welcomed by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey, who said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Oxford has been once again named the top university in the world. Eight years of leading the Times Higher Education world rankings is a testament to the impactful research we conduct that tackles some of the grand challenges facing people and the planet as well as the exceptional standards of teaching we deliver that will continue to inspire generations to come. I am filled with admiration for my colleagues and gratitude for all their efforts that propel this unique institution forwards.”

The full story is available on the University of Oxford website