QS World University Rankings: Politecnico di Milano Ranks 98th in the World

Polimi is the first Italian university to enter the global Top 100!

For the first time, an Italian university has entered the Top 100 of the QS World University Rankings, one of the most prestigious global academic rankings. Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) achieved 98^th place in 2026, marking a historic milestone that represents a national record and international recognition of the excellence of Italian higher education and research.

With this achievement, Polimi ranks among the world's top six per cent of universities. The university's leap from 111th to 98th place reflects the strength of its consistent growth over time. In the past decade, it has climbed 89 positions, including 41 in the last three years (from 139th in 2023), to establish itself as a benchmark in the Italian university system and an emerging leader among global academic institutions.

How Polimi performed

In Italy, Politecnico di Milano is the top university based on its performance and the quality of its key indicators.

Among the indicators that were decisive in achieving the Top 100 position are Employer Reputation and Academic Reputation: Employer Reputation, which gauges the esteem held by international employers towards graduates, highlights the Politecnico's ability to train highly qualified professionals, who are ready to face labour market challenges. Academic Reputation, which reflects the perceived prestige of the university within the global academic community, confirms the university's outstanding quality of research and teaching.

Research and employment results

Further strong results came from the Employment Outcomes indicator, which shows high employment rates among graduates and the significant impact of their careers in their fields. Also showing clear improvement is the Citations per Faculty metric, which measures the average number of scientific citations per academic staff member, indicating the growing international relevance of Polimi's research output.

These positive outcomes were underpinned by a significant increase in scientific productivity, a tangible sign of a dynamic, innovative, and internationally attractive academic community. The QS World University Rankings 2026 evaluated more than 8,400 universities in 106 countries. Of these, 1,501 made it into the ranking, including 43 Italian universities. Politecnico di Milano's result is a turning point for Italian higher education and a strong indicator of its ability to compete, innovate, and grow on a global scale.