For the first time ever, an Italian university has entered the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings. The Politecnico di Milano has made history, soaring 17 places to claim the 84th spot in this prestigious international list.
The QS World University Rankings differ from other global academic lists previously reported by Italy News Online. Compiled by UK-based QS Quacquarelli Symonds, this ranking is considered one of the most authoritative in the academic world. It evaluates over 1,500 universities across 106 countries, assessing them based on employer reputation, academic reputation, research impact, and graduate employability, among other indicators.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States continues its reign at the top for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University. Oxford comes in fourth, with Harvard — recently in the spotlight due to a clash with President Donald Trump — rounding out the top five.
But the big story for Italy is Politecnico di Milano. Rector Donatella Sciuto celebrated the achievement, noting that the university has climbed 89 places in just ten years. “Our strength lies in the quality of research and teaching,” she said, crediting the entire university community and a consistent long-term strategy.
In the national ranking, Politecnico is followed by Sapienza University of Rome, which also achieved its best-ever global position at 128th. “Being the first generalist university in Italy is a source of great satisfaction and pride,” said Sapienza Rector Antonella Polimeni.
Bologna’s Alma Mater, the University of Padua, and the Polytechnic of Turin round out the top five in Italy.
Italy needs to improve educational facilities
Despite these standout performances, the QS report paints a mixed picture of Italian higher education. While four Italian universities — Sapienza (65th), Bologna (66th), Polimi (84th), and Padua (119th) — are among the world’s top 150 for reputation, challenges remain.
Among them are poor internationalisation, overcrowded classrooms, and a shortage of faculty, largely due to rigid hiring rules and limited funding. Only four Italian universities are among the global top 500 in terms of foreign student numbers. Few courses are offered in English, and excessive bureaucracy continues to hamper growth.
QS CEO Jessica Turner welcomed Italy’s breakthrough into the top 100 but issued a warning: “Now is the time to transform individual successes into structural and lasting progress. Italian universities must enhance their research strengths, improve graduate employability, and invest more in internationalisation.”
The Politecnico di Milano’s result may be historic, but it also highlights the need for a wider shift in Italy’s academic strategy to ensure its universities can consistently compete on the world stage.
Also read: Luiss business school ranked top 20 in the world by FT
