UniSQ strengthens global performance despite intensified competition

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has again secured its place among the world’s leading universities in the latest QS World University Rankings 2026, achieving an overall ranking of 410th position globally.

The result maintains UniSQ’s strong global standing despite unprecedented competition, with this year’s rankings assessing an additional 2800 institutions – a 50 per cent increase on last year.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Nelson said UniSQ’s result reflected both the University’s ongoing progress and the increasingly competitive international environment.

“Our overall score has significantly improved, which in previous years would have typically resulted in a meaningful rise in position,” Professor Nelson said.

“To remain steady in an environment where more universities are actively working to enhance their global rankings speaks to the strength of UniSQ’s research and global engagement.”

The QS World University Rankings assess institutions across a range of measures, including academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations, sustainability, and internationalisation.

UniSQ’s research impact continues to be a major contributor to its global ranking. The University’s performance in Citations per Faculty – measuring research quality and influence – improved by 40 places to now sit at 103rd globally.

“UniSQ’s research continues to address critical global challenges – from space and defence to regional health and climate resilience,” Professor Nelson said.

“The result reinforces the quality and relevance of the work being done by our researchers.”

Find out more about UniSQ's Research.