The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has improved its overall global institutional standing, climbing to the 410th position out of 2,250 universities (up from the 457th in the 2025-2026 edition) in the 2026-2027 Best Global Universities Rankings published on 16 June. The University also rose in the European classification to 158th (from 173rd last year), while remaining 9th in Spain and the country’s top technical university. 

By subject, the UPC is among the world’s top 100 in Optics (74th) and in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (87th). The UPC is also the leading Spanish university in five subjects: Engineering, Optics, Civil Engineering, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, and Green and Sustainable Science and Technology. 

The UPC’s highest overall scores are in Optics, with 62.5 out of 100 points, followed by Engineering, with 57.3 points.

In terms of specific indicators, the UPC is ranked in the global top 50 in the following categories:

• For regional research reputation: 19th in Computer Science and 35th in Engineering.
• For conferences: 5th in Water Resources, 7th in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, 15th in Civil Engineering, 17th in Physical Chemistry, 21st in Green and Sustainable Science and Technology, 28th in Optics, 43rd in Chemical Engineering and 50th in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.
• For international collaboration: 14th in Optics, 38th in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences and 41st both in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and in Mechanical Engineering.
• For international collaboration relative to country: 28th in Social Sciences and Public Health, 31st in Mechanical Engineering, 33rd in Civil Engineering and 48th in Green and Sustainable Science and Technology.

More information

• UPC Rankings Observatory