UCC rises in World University Rankings 

It is its highest ranking since 2015.

The independent assessment — which is undertaken of institutions across Ireland including Trinity College Dublin, UCD, University of Galway and Dublin City University — examines factors such as academic reputation, employer reputation, teaching, research and sustainability.

UCC said it was highly rated across the board, with particular strengths for sustainability, internationalism and reputation with graduate employers.

In a separate recent ranking, UCC was placed sixth globally in the most environmentally friendly universities in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, which assessed almost 1,200 institutions across 85 countries. 

Only two Dutch, and one German, one British, and a US university finished higher than the Cork institution globally.

UCC has ambitions for a zero-waste campus by 2030 and a carbon neutral campus by 2040. It went plastic free on campus in 2023, eliminating the waste of one million paper cups.

While UCC’s position in the QS ranking had improved in 2019, 2020 and 2022, it fell slightly in the two subsequent years. The latest ranking for 2024/25 shows it has risen in the last two academic years.

UCC president Professor John O’Halloran welcomed the university’s improvement in the rankings.

“A university is about its people: our students, staff, our UCC community, both local and global,” he said. “I am very pleased that the ongoing dedication and commitment of our excellent staff to our students has been recognised by an improved showing in the QS rankings.

“It is particularly encouraging that our global engagement and reputation with graduate employers has been noted. While UCC research and work in the advancement of sustainability continues to be acknowledged as world-leading.”