On November 18 at 7 p.m. KST, the British higher education analytics company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the “QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026.” The results show a mixed performance for Korean universities, with some achieving remarkable rises while others slipped in global standing.
Seoul National University (SNU) led the nation by ranking 37th globally, jumping 20 spots from last year’s 57th place. However, Yonsei University fell six places to 92nd, while Korea University climbed six spots to 95th, highlighting a split fortune among Korea’s top institutions.
In the broader top 10 domestic list, only five universities improved their rankings, earning the group an overall evaluation equivalent to a “B0” grade. While general performance remained steady, some universities saw striking gains of 20, 58, and even 72 positions.
Within the top 10:
Seoul National University ranked 37th (▲20)
Yonsei University 92nd (▼6)
Korea University 95th (▲6)
Hanyang University 161st (▼25)
Sungkyunkwan University 187th (▲58)
Pusan National University 238th (▲30)
Kyung Hee University 244th (▼5)
Chung-Ang University 346th (▼13)
POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) 346th (▲72)
Kyungpook National University 357th (▼11)
Among the movers, POSTECH showed the most dramatic rise, soaring 72 places from 418th to 346th. Sungkyunkwan University, Pusan National University, Seoul National University, and Korea University also achieved notable upward momentum.
Regional Universities Gain Ground
Beyond the top 10, regional universities stood out for their progress. Chungnam National University and Jeonbuk National University shared 440th place, while Chonnam National University (462nd), Kangwon National University (512th), and Pukyong National University (519th) secured mid-400 rankings.
In the 600–700 range, Gyeongsang National University (629th), Dankook University (640th), Gachon University (658th), GIST (667th), Chungbuk National University, and Seoul Metropolitan University (both 672nd) reflected a balanced distribution between metropolitan and regional areas.
Further down the list, Hongik University (781st), University of Incheon, SeoulTech (801st), Yeungnam University (814th), Soonchunhyang University (822nd), University of Ulsan (824th), and The Catholic University of Korea (860th) ranked within the 700–900 group.
Universities in the 1000–1150 bracket included Kookmin University (927th) and DGIST (977th), while Hallym University and Sookmyung Women’s University appeared in the 1101–1150 range. Schools such as Duksung Women’s University, Kongju National University, Kyonggi University, Soongsil University, Sungshin Women’s University, and Woosong University were placed beyond 1500.
Meanwhile, SNU achieved another accolade—ranking first in Asia for sustainability, surpassing the University of Tokyo for the first time in two years.
