Sixteen universities from Türkiye were listed among the world’s top 500 institutions in at least one major global ranking in 2024, according to a report published by the University Ranking by Academic Performance Laboratory (URAP) at the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ). The report also highlights the continued rise of several universities in the Balkans.
The data was compiled from 11 widely recognized international ranking organizations, including QS, Times Higher Education (THE), Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), and U.S. News & World Report (USNEWS), among others.
Türkiye: Koç, ODTÜ, Istanbul University lead
Seven Turkish universities – Koç, Hacettepe, Istanbul Technical, Ankara, Ege, Atatürk and Istanbul – appeared in all eleven major global rankings, reflecting consistent international presence. Koç University, for instance, ranked 401st in QS, 154th in RUR and 375th in THE.
Other institutions such as Boğaziçi University, Bilkent, Yıldız Technical, and Marmara also appeared in ten or more rankings. A total of 57 Turkish universities entered at least one global list, though only 12 of the country’s 23 designated research universities made the top 500.
Western Balkans: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia in global spotlight
While Turkish institutions continue to dominate regional performance, several Balkan universities have also emerged as internationally ranked institutions:
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) – Ranked in the top 500 in QS and THE rankings, recognized for its research productivity and international collaborations.
University of Zagreb (Croatia) – Frequently appears in the top 500-600 range, with improved visibility in Webometrics and USNEWS rankings.
University of Belgrade (Serbia) – Included in the ARWU top 500 and has gained recognition in engineering and physical sciences.
University of Novi Sad (Serbia) – Ranked within the top 600–700 by QS and Webometrics, particularly in computer science and agriculture.
University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – Entered the top 1000 in several rankings and is increasing international publication output.
University of Tirana (Albania) and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (North Macedonia) – Both ranked within the top 1000–1200, with growing output in regional impact and digital presence.
Each ranking system evaluates different parameters. QS emphasizes academic reputation, faculty-student ratio and citations per faculty; THE focuses on teaching, research, and industry income; ARWU prioritizes Nobel prizes and highly cited researchers; while USNEWS looks at global research reputation and publication metrics.
Other rankings such as Webometrics and SCImago assess digital presence and innovation impact, while Leiden Ranking examines scientific collaboration and citation impact.
The report underlines Türkiye’s expanding influence in higher education, with leading universities matching global standards across research, innovation and internationalisation. At the same time, Balkan universities, particularly in Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, are consolidating their global visibility and striving for greater competitiveness.