University of Bucharest, the leader of Romanian higher education in the 2027 QS ranking

The University of Bucharest (UB) maintains its status as the best-ranked higher education institution in Romania in the 2027 edition of the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings, even though it has dropped in the ranking from the 761-770 range, occupied in 2026, to the 801-850 band. The data shows that the university's performance is supported in particular by the insertion of graduates into the labor market, reputation among employers, international collaborations in research and sustainability policies.

• Babeş-Bolyai University remains in second place

Babeş-Bolyai University (UBB) in Cluj-Napoca remains in the top of Romanian academic institutions, but its evolution has been different. If in 2025 it occupied the 781-790 range, and in 2026 it had risen to 761-770, equal with the University of Bucharest, in the 2027 edition UBB drops to the 851-900 segment, remaining the second university in Romania in the QS ranking.

• How Romania's presence has evolved in the last three years

In the 2025 edition, Romania was represented by 13 universities. The University of Bucharest occupied positions 801-850, and UBB was in the 781-790 range. The "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iaşi and the West University of Timişoara were included in the 1201-1400 segment, and the University of Craiova and the "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu were in the 1401+ category. Other institutions, such as Transilvania University of Braşov, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, completed the Romanian presence in the ranking.

The year 2026 brought progress for the country's top two universities. Both UB and UBB climbed to the 761-770 range, while "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University advanced to the 1001-1200 band. The 2027 edition, however, records a decrease in Romanian presence. The number of universities included in the ranking decreased to eight, compared to ten in 2026 and thirteen in 2025. "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iaşi returned to the 1201-1400 range, the West University of Timişoara maintained its position, and POLITEHNICA Bucharest climbed to the same category. The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, the "Ştefan cel Mare” University of Suceava and the Transilvania University of Braşov are still in the 1401+ segment. The reduction in the number of Romanian universities present in QS suggests that the occasional performances of a few institutions are not yet transforming into consistent progress at the level of the entire university system.

• University positions in Europe

In the QS European ranking 2027, the University of Bucharest is ranked 254th, and Babeş-Bolyai University is ranked 272nd. They are followed by: "Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi - ranked 426th; National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest - ranked 438th; West University of Timişoara - ranked 446th; Transilvania University of Braşov - ranked 476th; Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies - 488th place. The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and the Technical University "Gheorghe Asachi" of Iaşi are placed in the range of 501-510, while other Romanian institutions are found in the segments 551-600 and 601+.

Who dominates the world ranking

The top ten positions of the QS World University Rankings 2027 are occupied by institutions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Singapore: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Imperial College London and Stanford University; University of Oxford; Harvard University; University of Cambridge; California Institute of Technology; ETH Zurich; University College London; National University of Singapore.