- Times Higher Education released the World University Rankings by Subject 2026 using 18 performance indicators
- Harvard leads in engineering and life sciences, MIT tops arts, humanities, business, and social sciences
- Oxford ranks best in medical, health, and computer science; Stanford excels in education and law
Times Higher Education (THE) has released the World University Rankings 2026 based on subject. The World University Rankings by Subject 2026 use the same broad methodology as the overall World University Rankings 2026, with 18 performance indicators across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and internationalisation.
The top rankings in all subjects is majorly dominated by universities from the UK and the US.
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As per the rankings, Harvard University is ranked the best in engineering and life sciences. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has topped in the list of arts and humanities, business & economics and social sciences.
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Oxford is the best university in medical & health and computer science. Stanford ranked number one in education and law and California Institute of Technology topped in physical sciences. The University of Oxford is the best in computer science and medical & health, while the University of Cambridge tops in psychology.
The US occupied 68 of the 111 top, while UK has 29 institutions. China has gained three more in 2026.
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As per the information shared by THE, universities across Asia continue to improve in STEM fields and are rising faster than their European and North American competitors in other areas such as the arts.
Here is the list of top universities in various subjects:
| Ranking | Top institution | Country/territory |
| Business and Economics | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
| Arts and Humanities | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
Medical and Health | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
| Computer Science | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
| Psychology | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
| Education Studies | Stanford University | United States |
Engineering | Harvard University | United States |
| Law | Stanford University | United States |
| Life Sciences | Harvard University | United States |
| Physical Sciences | California Institute of Technology | United States |
| Social Sciences | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
Key Highlights Of World University Rankings 2026
- University of Oxford retains its top position for the tenth consecutive year, largely due to its exceptional research environment score.
- Princeton University rises to joint third place, marking the only US university to reach its best-ever ranking this year.
- China now has five universities in the top 40, an increase from three last year, while its top institutions maintain strong positions.
- Hong Kong secures a record six spots within the top 200, reflecting notable improvements in teaching metrics.
- India now ranks second globally in terms of the number of universities featured, behind only the United States.