The University of Colombo has emerged as Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, securing a place in the 1,001–1,200 band among 2,191 universities worldwide.
The 2026 edition of the rankings assessed more than 25,000 universities globally, recognizing institutions based on five key performance pillars: Teaching (29.5%), Research Environment (29%), Research Quality (30%), International Outlook (7.5%), and Industry (4%).
The University of Peradeniya ranked second in Sri Lanka, securing a position in the 1,201–1,500 band of the Times Higher Education 2026 World University Rankings.
Among other Sri Lankan universities, the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), University of Kelaniya, University of Moratuwa, and University of Sri Jayewardenepura were all ranked in the 1501+ band.
Globally, the University of Oxford (UK) retained the top position, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (USA) in second place, and Princeton University (USA) and the University of Cambridge (UK) sharing third place.
The full list is available at Times Higher Education Rankings 2026.
