This places the University 18^th in the UK overall, and 15^th in UK for Academic Capacity and Performance.  

The score is based on not only how strongly universities perform academically but also how effectively we convert that strength into real-world innovation, economic impact, and global engagement.

The TIME Magazine analysis of more than 500 universities around the world was produced by Statista, who looked at criteria including research output and impact in terms of highly cited researchers. Other key assessments included the proportion of international students and staff, and graduate economic impact.

The announcement comes on the same day that Newcastle University has been ranked 36^th in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2026.

The rankings, which looked at more than 950 institutions across Europe, prioritise academic reputation, and the impact and quality of research output.

Another key consideration was the richness and diversity of an institution's international research partnerships, particularly in addressing global challenges, where Newcastle scored 95 out of 100.

Newcastle also scored particularly highly on sustainability, and reputation among global employers, with each achieving scores of 98 and 92 out of 100 respectively.

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University, said: “We’re pleased that the strength and global impact of our research, and our positive collaborations with partners around the world have been recognised in these two latest rankings. I am especially proud that our strong performance among employers in the QS score reflects the hard work of colleagues to help our students to develop the skills and job readiness they require.”

Note

Since the publication of the original article on 28th January 2026 which placed the University 87th, Time Magazine have issued the following correction which places the University 89th. The original story also stated that the university was 17th in the UK and that has been amended to 18th. 

From Time Magazine: Correction, Feb. 2
Following a review of the Global Engagement metric (10% of the total score), some values were recalculated. The updated ranking below reflects this refinement.