Higher Education: France Strengthens Its Position Among Global Leaders

The QS World University Rankings,

one of the world’s leading higher education rankings, assesses 1,500 institutions each year across the globe. The ranking is based on a range of criteria, including academic reputation, graduate employability, internationalisation and sustainability.

Published in June by the British company Quacquarelli Symonds, the 2027 edition features 38 French institutions, up from 35 in 2026. Four French universities are ranked among the world’s top 100: PSL University (34th), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (43rd), Sorbonne University (73rd) and Université Paris-Saclay (76th).

In a ranking dominated by the United States (26 institutions in the Top 100) and the United Kingdom (16), France confirms its position as one of Europe’s leading academic hubs. With as many institutions in the global Top 100 as Germany, France demonstrates the strength of its higher education, research and innovation ecosystem, a major asset for attracting international talent and investment.