University of Namibia (UNAM) no longer ranks among the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings for the 2026 release
UNAM Drops Out of Top 100 in QS World University Rankings
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has fallen out of the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings for 2026, marking a significant drop from its previous positions in 2023 and 2024. UNAM, which was ranked 93rd in 2023 and 94th in 2024, now finds itself in 136th place globally.
The reasons for UNAM's drop are not explicitly stated, but the 2026 rankings introduced a new metric: international student diversity. Universities that better adapt to evolving ranking criteria such as inclusivity and global engagement might have seen improved positions, potentially affecting UNAM’s relative rank.
Experts attribute UNAM's drop to internal challenges and broader regional trends, including difficulty attracting global talent and boosting research output. Despite this, UNAM maintained strong scores in academic reputation (99.2) and employability (97.9), but struggled in areas like international student presence (5.4) and learning experience (47.1).
The fall from the top 100 has sparked debate within academic circles about the need for renewed investment in internationalization, innovation, and research infrastructure in Mexican higher education. The decline serves as a wake-up call for Mexican universities, highlighting the growing competitiveness of the global academic landscape and the need to adapt to evolving international standards.
The QS World University Rankings evaluate over 1500 institutions worldwide based on indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, internationalization, research impact, and sustainability. In the 2026 rankings, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the top spot, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University.
Despite its drop in the rankings, UNAM remains the highest-ranked university in Mexico and continues to be a cornerstone of higher education in Latin America. The city of Mazatlán is also celebrating its 490th anniversary since its founding.
In conclusion, UNAM's fall from the top 100 to 136th place likely reflects the impact of updated QS ranking methodology with added emphasis on new metrics like international diversity, combined with shifts in performance of other global universities. The university's drop underscores the importance of adapting to evolving international standards in order to maintain a strong position in the global academic landscape.
- Investment in internationalization, innovation, and research infrastructure within Mexican higher education may be necessary given UNAM's drop in the QS World University Rankings, signifying the need to adopt to evolving international standards to maintain a strong position.
- As such, educational institutions, including UNAM, could benefit from polishing their strategies for engagement with international students, as the new QS ranking criteria place more emphasis on this metric for a university's global competitiveness.
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