The University of Ottawa makes a monumental leap in global higher education ranking

Gazette
Education
Tabaret Hall during summer
The University of Ottawa makes a monumental leap in the latest 2022 QS World University Rankings.

The University of Ottawa jumped 49 spots in the prestigious QS World University Rankings for 2022, placing it among the top postsecondary institutions in the world.

uOttawa leapt to 230th position, placing it in the top 20 percent of institutions of higher learning around the world. This is a major feat and the greatest improvement of the U15 universities. uOttawa made a similar leap in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020, demonstrating its ever-growing strength on the world’s stage, now in 145th position.  

In Canada, uOttawa ranks 9th among the country’s U15 research universities. This is no surprise, given that the University has continued to climb in the Tri-Council funding, moving into 6thposition nationally. 

Two key factors can explain our significant move up in the international rankings. First, uOttawa climbed 44 spots in the citation per faculty member indicator. This places the University in 79th position, which confirms the upward trend for research at our institution. This year, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) improved their methodology by selecting more carefully the citations that count towards the indicator, placing more weight on academic citations in the arts and humanities than in previous years.

Second, the University now sits in 204th position for its international student ratio, a leap of some 40 spots compared to last year. The QS global ranking assigns specific importance to this factor: it reflects an ability to attract students from across the globe and speaks to international brand.

“The University of Ottawa is going from strength to strength in research prominence and internationalization, and this is reflected in this year’s rankings,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Frémont. “I am proud of our significant rise in the global rankings. This success is thanks to all the members of our university community.”

Learn more about the QS World University Rankings