Belgian Universities Climb in QS World Rankings, KU Leuven Among Global Top 60
Brussels, The Gulf Observer: Several Belgian universities have improved their standings in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings, with KU Leuven securing a place among the world’s top 100 institutions.
KU Leuven rose from 63rd to 60th position in the 2025 list, maintaining its status as the only Belgian university in the global top 100 out of 1,501 institutions evaluated. The university received high marks for its international research network (4th globally), sustainability efforts (25th), and academic reputation (53rd).
The QS World University Rankings, one of the most consulted university league tables globally, assess institutions using nine indicators. These include academic and employer reputation, research impact, sustainability, and levels of internationalization among students and faculty.
KU Leuven’s rise is seen as a positive signal for its global appeal. “For many foreign students, rankings are a first indicator of a university’s quality and academic reputation,” a KU Leuven spokesperson told The Brussels Times. The university acknowledged the utility of rankings in attracting international talent but also stressed the importance of viewing them with perspective. “Some of the indicators used align well with our priorities, such as research impact and international collaboration. Others are less relevant or may not fully capture the institution’s reality.”
Other Belgian universities also registered notable gains. Ghent University climbed from 169th to 162nd, UCLouvain improved from 203rd to 191st, ULB moved from 230th to 227th, and the University of Liège advanced from 396th to 379th.
A spokesperson for Ghent University echoed KU Leuven’s sentiment, noting that while rankings are welcome recognition, they must be interpreted cautiously. “With any ranking, it’s important to understand exactly what is being measured and how. While research output is easily quantified, the quality of teaching is much harder to assess externally.”
Despite the cautious optimism, Belgian institutions welcomed the improved rankings. KU Leuven reiterated that such evaluations do not dictate academic priorities. “Rankings do not define our strategy, but they can reflect outcomes of our ongoing commitment to teaching, research, and service to society. Above all, we remain focused on our academic mission and the quality we provide to students and researchers.”
The QS ranking methodology includes academic reputation (30%), employer reputation (15%), employment outcomes (5%), faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty (10%), sustainability (5%), and measures of internationalization including student and staff ratios (5% each) and international research networks (5%).
As global competition among universities continues, Belgian institutions appear well-positioned to maintain and improve their standing while balancing recognition with academic integrity.
