ITU Ranks 124th in QS World University Rankings: Europe

Our university ranked 124th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings: Europe. Positioning itself 25th in the “employer reputation” indicator, ITU made significant progress in the “outbound exchange students” and “papers per faculty” metrics.

The 2026 QS World University Rankings: Europe featured 958 universities. Istanbul Technical University (ITU), classified by QS as having a “very high” research intensity, secured the 124th spot among European universities.

ITU demonstrated exceptional performance in the indicators of “outbound exchange students,” “inbound exchange students,” “international research network,” and “employment outcomes.”

Among the university's strongest metrics is “employer reputation,” where it ranks 25th. Additionally, ITU ranked 55th in “employment outcomes,” 62nd in “outbound exchange students,” and 75th in “papers per faculty.”

Increasing global recognition

Guided by our alumni, students, and academics, ITU’s reputation continues to rise across the globe. New collaborations, materialized through the establishment of laboratories and research centers at both national and international levels, continue to be implemented. These efforts, focused on working, learning, developing, and achieving together, contribute strongly to employer reputation, employment outcomes, and the international research network.

The 'employer reputation' indicator measures how global employers rate universities in terms of graduate employability. Meanwhile, “employment outcomes” reflect a university's ability to ensure a high level of employability while showcasing the institution's potential to raise future leaders who will make an impact in their respective fields.

The spirit of “being an ITU member” spreading across Europe through exchange programs

The “outbound exchange students” indicator is a strong reflection of ITU’s recognition and strength in student exchanges. This metric evaluates the proportion of students enrolled at the university who attended a university abroad as part of an international exchange program for at least one semester during the annual academic period.

In addition to the opportunities ITU offers its students through exchange programs at universities abroad, it continues to host international students to gain academic experience. The orientation program, organized at the beginning of each semester, facilitates the social and academic integration of guest students experiencing ITU’s scientific and technical environment.

Istanbul, which hosts our university’s campuses embracing green spaces and history, along with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), ranks first in Türkiye and 61st in the world according to the  QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2026.

ITU makes a name for itself in Europe

The EELISA “Grand Meetings” were hosted by Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in November 2025. Within the scope of these meetings, ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal took over the Term Presidency of the EELISA European University Executive Board, of which ITU is a founding member. ITU is the only university from Türkiye involved in EELISA, an alliance specialized in technical universities.

In line with the goal of ranking among the top 100 universities in the world, ITU organized a Search Conference last December.

ITU is also the only member from Türkiye in CESAER, which brings together leading science and technology universities in Europe. Our Rector attended the 2025 CESAER Annual Meetings last October.

In March 2025, 115 international students gathered at our Ayazağa Campus within the framework of the ATHENS Network, which includes 15 leading technical universities in Europe and where ITU is the only representative from Türkiye.

In Engirank 2025, another recently announced ranking evaluating European universities, ITU ranked 60th in Europe.

2026 QS World University Rankings: Europe methodology

The 2026 QS World University Rankings: Europe results were prepared by evaluating the following categories and indicators: Research and Discovery (academic reputation 30%, citations per faculty 10%, papers per faculty 5%), Employability and Outcomes (employer reputation 15%, employment outcomes 5%), Learning Experience (faculty-student ratio 5%), Global Engagement (international research network 10%, international faculty 5%, international student diversity 5%, inbound exchange students 2.5%, outbound exchange students 2.5%), and Sustainability (5%).