University of Limerick ranked among top 150 universities in Europe

University of Limerick has moved into the top 150 universities in Europe according to a new ranking, it has been announced.

UL has been ranked 145 in the latest Europe University Rankings by global higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

This is the second year of these rankings and marks an improvement year-on-year for UL of seven places from last year’s ranking of 152.

The QS University Rankings for Europe 2025 ranked 684 institutions across 40 Council of Europe members.

The ranking examined universities against 12 indicators in the overarching areas of Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Learning Experience, Global Engagement, and Sustainability.

QS rated UL highly across all indicators with strong showing for education exchange and for the university’s commitment to sustainability and its citations for paper.

The University placed 30th in Europe and first in Ireland for Inbound Exchange Students.  

Welcoming the announcement Provost and Deputy President Professor Shane Kilcommins said: “I am immensely proud to see that University of Limerick has broken into the top 150 in the European QS Rankings. This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the areas of excellence measured in the rankings.

“Rankings such as these are not just about numbers; they reflect the collective effort of our faculty, staff, and students. They highlight our dedication to pioneering research, our success in preparing graduates for impactful careers, and our ability to provide a transformative learning experience. Moreover, our enhanced global engagement and steadfast commitment to sustainability underscore UL's role as a forward-thinking research-intensive institution addressing the challenges of our time.

“We remain dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation, driving forward with the same passion and determination that has brought us this far.”

UL Vice President Research Professor Norelee Kennedy added: “This is another hugely positive result for UL as we continue to improve in the global rankings against increasing competition.

“It reinforces the work that we are doing to ensure that UL remains the university of choice for the excellent researchers, educators and students who seek an institution to match their ambition.

“Our dedication to excellence is founded on our research strategy Wisdom for Action where our vision is for UL to contribute to the discovery of new knowledge for a better world.”

UL’s ongoing commitment to excellence in research, teaching and learning, and overall student experience has seen it improve in several influential global rankings in the past month.

In early June the QS World University Rankings placed UL at 421 cementing UL’s position among the top three per cent of universities worldwide.

UL’s improved ranking was due to better performances in academic reputation, citations, faculty-student ratio, sustainability, and international student ratio.

And later that month, UL jumped 25 places to 61st in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. These rankings are a global performance benchmark which measure the positive societal impact the university is having in contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).