QS Rankings by Subject: Polimi among world’s top academic institutions

Ranking

The University strengthened its leadership in the three core areas that define its identity

Politecnico di Milano confirmed its position among the world’s top academic institutions in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. The university ranked 6th globally in Design, 7th in Architecture, and 21st in Engineering. The University strengthened its leadership in the three core areas that define its identity and made significant progress in other disciplinary areas.

Out of more than 5,200 universities surveyed, with 1,747 making it into the rankings, Politecnico di Milano has improved its position in Arts & Humanities, moving up from 60th to 50th place; Natural Sciences, advancing from 129th to 113th place; Social Sciences & Management, rising from 100th to 91st place. For the first time, Politecnico di Milano received scores in Life Sciences & Medicine, although it did not officially enter the rankings. This result reflects the university’s growing interdisciplinary focus and its expanding collaborations in the medical and scientific fields.

Among the most notable achievements: 12th place in Mechanical, Aerospace & Manufacturing Engineering; 13th place in Civil & Structural Engineering; 26th place in Data Science & AI.

«Politecnico di Milano confirmed its position as a globally recognised centre of excellence. The consistent improvement across the evaluated disciplines demonstrates a shared vision and a unified approach that increasingly defines us as an institution and benchmark for the international academic community. This ranking reflects the outstanding quality of our teaching and research and our ability to tackle contemporary challenges through an innovative and interdisciplinary approach.»

Donatella Sciuto, Rector of Politecnico di Milano

Overall, Politecnico di Milano ranked in 25 out of 55 surveyed disciplines, with 16 of these in the global top 100. Each discipline is independently evaluated based on parameters such as academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact.

Politecnico's performance stood out in the main macro-areas, and in 25 specialist disciplines (narrow subjects) out of 55 examined by the QS. These subject areas, spanning from Design to various branches of Engineering, are assessed based on multiple indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact. The university ranked among the world’s top 100 in 16 disciplines, reinforcing its strong interdisciplinary focus and ability to integrate diverse expertise to address the evolving challenges of modern education and research.

All 12 departments have at least one discipline ranked in the global top 50, demonstrating the strength of their teaching and research excellence. A particularly high score in Employer Reputation, one of QS’s key indicators, highlights that Politecnico di Milano graduates are not only in high demand but are highly valued by Italian and international employers for their skills and innovative mindset. Another significant achievement is the university’s strong performance in the International Research Network (IRN) indicator, which recognises its ability to establish global scientific collaborations.

See the rankings: https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings

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