The University of the West Indies (The UWI) begins 2026 with excellent news. Times Higher Education (THE), the gold standard in global higher education rankings, announced that it has risen among the 33,000+ universities and higher degree‑granting institutions in the world.

In the 2025 year-end release of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, which assesses institutional performance across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook, only 2,191 universities from 115 countries qualified to be ranked. The UWI continues to rise relatively as the number of universities also increases. It is selected and ranked annually based on criteria of academic excellence. It now stands in the top 3.6% of these 33,000+ institutions.

Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, noted: “We continue to adhere steadfastly to our strategic plan, which has proven to be an expert guide that keeps us focused on building out our intellectual productivity, scholastic brand, and global partnership profile. The results merely indicate the output of our considerable collective input.”

Since the prior year, the results show that our scholars have improved the quality of their research. This has resulted in a significant rise in the recognition and impact of publications and other academic presentations. Also on the rise is our international outlook, as measured in scholarly impact, global partnerships, and membership in elite intellectual networks. Shaping regional and global research environments through projects and publications has also attracted rising numbers in the rankings.

These considerable achievements serve to demonstrate the impact of the University’s expert leadership on the world stage, in academia and beyond. From climate change research to public health, arts and culture narratives to economic development studies and social justice paradigms, the University continues to make its mark by punching well beyond its fiscal and financial constraints.

“I am very proud of this inter‑generational achievement, as we look to The UWI’s centenary in 2048,” the Vice‑Chancellor noted.