Trinity College Dublin has hit its highest spot in ten years in the QS World University Rankings, jumping to 75th place globally in the 2026 report. This is a significant leap of 12 places from last year's 87th position, solidifying its place as Ireland's top-ranked university by a considerable margin.
The impressive rise is largely down to strong showings in both Academic Reputation and Employer Reputation, two key areas measured by the QS World University Rankings, which assesses the performance of the world's top 1,501 universities.
Trinity's Provost and President, Dr Linda Doyle, commented on the news, stating, "The rankings news encourages us to be even bolder in our ambition for Trinity and, indeed, for Ireland - an ambition that should be championed and defended regardless of the rankings." She also highlighted the critical need for a sustainable funding model for higher education in Ireland, noting, "While increased core funding helps us to achieve our ambitions on the national and international stage, we need to see an absolute step-change in how universities and research are funded in Ireland."
Prof. Sinéad Ryan, Trinity’s Dean of Research, echoed these sentiments: "While it is always heartening to see Trinity’s reputation as a top research institution and place of excellent teaching recognised internationally, we also acknowledge that rankings do not capture the full range of our activities, impact, and ambition. It is notable that Irish universities have performed strongly this year." She further emphasised, "For Ireland to now fully unlock the potential of its excellent universities for the benefit of society, a sustainable funding model for the sector is essential."