The University of Windsor has achieved its highest ever grade in the prestigious QS World University Rankings. The 2027 edition of the report was published last week, on June 18, putting the University of Windsor at 537th of 1,504 universities tracked in the ranking. “It’s fantastic news for the University of Windsor,” said J.J. McMurtry, the president and vice-chancellor of the university. “It’s a big coup for us to be recognized by that organization and to see ourselves moving up when many other Canadian universities are being challenged in these rankings.” UWindsor moved nine places higher to reach its new benchmark position and is one of eight Canadian universities to see a ranking improvement. McGill University, University of Toronto, and University of British Columbia finished as Canada’s top 3 universities ranking 30th, 32nd, and 45th respectively. That represents a ranking slide for Canada’s top universities. McGill and U of T each slid three spots while UBC fell five places from last year’s release. Like UWindsor, University of Waterloo and Western University also saw ranking jumps with the Waterloo Region institution moving up from 119th to 113th while the London university moved from 151st to 142nd in the latest list. McMurtry says the rankings are an extremely competitive space every year and can help attract new students, faculty, and grants. “It’s far more likely that you will decline than increase [in the rankings],” said McMurtry. “Frankly, I think it really helps put a spotlight on the quality of this institution and its researchers for all kinds of parties, including the federal and provincial governments.” The top 5 remained unchanged from last year’s report. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) topped the rankings, followed by Imperial College London, and Stanford University tied for second spot, while University of Oxford, and Harvard University rounded out the top 5 ranked post-secondary institutions. Milestone marker The latest rankings mark a milestone for UWindsor, not only in achieving its highest-ever position in the rankings, but also in its standing among its regional peers. “Not to be too competitive with other universities, but us passing the University of Guelph I think is a really important milestone in these rankings,” said McMurtry. The University of Guelph fished as the next Canadian university behind UWindsor, to sit 546th globally. Southern Ontario was well-represented on the list with McMaster University ranked 174th, Queen’s University ranked 179th, and York University ranked 322nd. The newly installed university president points to the rankings rise as a way of raising the reputation of the west-end institution. “I’m always surprised at how internally we don’t see the value of our institution, but also nationally and provincially,” said McMurtry. “We’re often forgotten in these discourses. So, I think these types of rankings really help put us back onto the map where we should be.” The 23rd edition of the report marks a third consecutive year among the top 550 universities in the world for UWindsor. And the president is eyeing a top 500 position in the rankings, ideally, in the next five years. “It is absolutely on my mind,” said McMurtry. “I do really believe that’s achievable.” Research efforts The most important bit from the ranking report though, as McMurtry sees it, is the recognition of the quality of research happening on campus, placing it among the world’s top 20 per cent for research impact as measured by the number of scholars using and citing research produced by the university. “There has been a focus, both before I got here and certainly during my tenure here as well, to really double down on our research excellence and try to make sure that we’re in competition for all sorts of programs,” said McMurtry. “Good research begets better research and so, to me, this is a cumulative process that we’re going to continue to try and build on the success.” The university boasted its UWindsor researchers averaged 161 citations per faculty member, nearly triple the global average of 59.9. That focus on research requires commitment to careful hiring and infrastructure improvements that support those researchers to succeed, says McMurtry. The university points to key research efforts including the Real-Time Aquatic Ecosystem Observation Network monitoring Great Lakes health; the Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre, working to set new standards for restoring aquatic ecosystems, a one-of-a-kind facility in the Great Lakes Basin; as well as the Windsor Law Centre for Cities working on municipal housing policy and researchers with the WE-SPARK Health Institute progressing cancer understanding. Recruitment boost Getting closer to the 500 top ranked global universities is a goal that comes with tangible benefits for the university, raising its profile to become a more attractive destination in the world of academia – for both students and staff. “Being in and around the 500 ranking spot is seen as an incredible distinguisher from most of the other universities and puts us roughly in the top 35 per cent of universities across the world,” said McMurtry. He notes a higher ranking also means a better chance of recruiting new learners from major student-producing countries, like China and India, where government incentives can be up for grabs for students attending highly-rated institutions. “In places such as China, the QS ranking, specifically, of your university education can often lead to benefits within that country,” said McMurtry. “But even more importantly, from my perspective, especially in the current context that we’re in, is it’s attractive to other researchers.” More than 8,800 institutions were evaluated as part of the QS process which eventually ranked 1,504 universities.
