According to the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, published on Thursday, October 9, 2025, the University of Bucharest is ranked first among comprehensive universities in Romania.
Furthermore, when it comes to the indicators reflecting research environment performance, the University of Bucharest takes the top position nationwide, followed by Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu.
A constant presence in the prestigious Times Higher Education ranking, the University of Bucharest is placed internationally in the 1001–1200 band in the overall ranking. The 22nd annual edition of the THE World University Rankings includes 2,191 universities from 115 countries and regions.
Ranking Methodology: Focus on Research
The ranking, based on 18 performance indicators, evaluates universities across five main areas: teaching and learning environment, research environment, research quality and influence, international outlook, and industry knowledge transfer.
For the 22nd edition, the Times Higher Education team applied a refined methodology designed to more accurately reflect university performance, weighted as follows::
Teaching and learning environment – 29.5%
Research environment (volume, income, and reputation) – 29%
Research quality and influence (citations, excellence, and impact) – 30%
International outlook (staff, students, research) – 7.5%
Industry impact (income, patents) – 4%
Once again, for the indicators highlighting research environment performance, the University of Bucharest ranks first nationally, followed by Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu.
World University Rankings 2026: Universities of the Universitaria Consortium stand out
In the national ranking, available [here], the Universitaria Consortium is represented by the University of Bucharest’s partner institutions: the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, West University of Timișoara, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, “Ovidius” University of Constanța, and the University of Craiova.
About the University of Bucharest
This year, the University of Bucharest celebrated 161 years since its founding by Decree No. 765 of July 4/16, 1864, issued by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. As the successor of the higher education institutions established by the Royal Academy (1694), the University of Bucharest has played—and continues to play—a decisive role in the development and modernization of Romanian education, science, and culture.
Today, the University comprises 19 faculties offering 95 undergraduate programs, 223 master’s programs, 23 doctoral schools in specific fields, and one interdisciplinary doctoral school, as well as over 50 research centers and nine research stations.
Since 2019, the University of Bucharest has been a member of the European Civic University Alliance (CIVIS), together with ten other prestigious European universities: Aix-Marseille University, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Autonomous University of Madrid, Sapienza University of Rome, Stockholm University, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, the University of Glasgow, the University of Lausanne, and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg.
