QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Unipd in the top 100 also for Life Sciences & Medicine

12.03.2025

The University of Padua celebrates a new success in the QS World University Ranking (WUR) by Subject 2025, whose results were published today, March 12, 2025.

This QS ranking broadly divides universal knowledge into five macro-areas and 55 disciplines (Subjects), each of which has a dedicated ranking. A distinctive aspect of the University of Padua globally is its multi-year presence in all 55 Subjects considered by QS. Only 38 institutions worldwide achieve results in more than 45 disciplines.

The University of Padua consolidates its positive trend in the Natural Sciences macro-area, climbing positions in the top 100 globally, from 97th to 90th place, while Life Sciences & Medicine makes a historic entry into the top 100, ranking 99th globally. Positive trend also for Arts & Humanities (133rd), while Engineering & Technology shows significant improvements (165th). Social Sciences & Management confirms its place in the top 250 (248th).

In this edition, the University of Padua ranks globally in 40 subjects, with the addition of three new disciplines in the ranking: Architecture / Built Environment, Communication & Media Studies, and Politics & International Studies.
Padua confirms itself as a global excellence with 7 disciplines in the global top 100, adding 14 in the 100-150 range, 7 in the 150-200 range, and 6 more in the 200-250 range.

Opening the list of excellent results are Psychology (69th place), Agriculture & Forestry (71st), Physics & Astronomy (77th), and Pharmacy & Pharmacology (96th). In the 51-100 range, Archaeology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Veterinary Science stand out, while Classics & Ancient History ranks in the 51-150 range. In the global top 150, we also find Biological Sciences (130th place), Medicine (131st), Engineering - Electrical & Electronic (132nd), and the Subjects Earth & Marine Sciences, Engineering - Civil & Structural, Geography, Geology, Geophysics, History, Modern Languages, Nursing, Philosophy, Statistics & Operational Research, all placed in the 101-150 range.

Analyzing the rankings at the national level, Padua excels in 12 disciplines, achieving first place with Anatomy & Physiology, Earth & Marine Sciences, Geology, and Geophysics, second place with Agriculture & Forestry, and third place with Anthropology, Archaeology, Chemistry, Nursing, Philosophy, Statistics & Operational Research, and Veterinary Science.

QS evaluated approximately 5200 universities, collecting data from various sources: reputational surveys, bibliometric and statistical data, processing the results with specific methodologies for each "Subject". Globally, only 1748 universities (including 56 Italian institutions), with 171 new entries, are included in the final rankings. The main changes are observed in Asia, particularly in China, both for new entries and performance improvement.

"The results of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 are a source of great satisfaction for our University," comments Mara Thiene, delegate for Joint degrees and international rankings. "The entry into the global top 100 for the macro area Life Sciences & Medicine is a milestone of great importance that attests to the excellence of our research and teaching in a crucial sector for human life. The consolidation and improvement of our positions in all areas reflect our holistic approach to quality knowledge. The number and variety of disciplines we cultivate in Padua, always our distinctive trait, combined with the protection of academic freedom, allow us to face the complexities of the contemporary world, generate innovation, and educate new generations with critical spirit and intellectual vitality."

With this communication, the cycle of the 2025 rankings elaborated by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) concludes. QS continues to consolidate its media authority and communicative impact at a global level. The results published today, which derive from the data processing used for QS WUR 25 (June 4, 2024), the regional rankings (QS Europe - July 10, 2024), and QS Sustainability (December 10, 2024), generate a detailed ranking across a wide range of scientific disciplines.