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ATU joins top 5% of universities in the world
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has been recognised among the top five per cent of higher education institutions globally following its first-ever inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026.
ATU becomes only the second Technological University in Ireland to be included in the global rankings, following Technological University Dublin.
The ranking formally positions the university among the top five per cent of universities worldwide and represents a notable achievement for an institution established just over four years ago following the formation of ATU in April 2022 through the amalgamation of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Sligo.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are regarded as one of the most influential assessments of university performance internationally. Institutions are scored across five key areas: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry Engagement and International Outlook.
A key factor in ATU’s inclusion was meeting the research criteria required for entry. Universities must demonstrate sustained research activity, including the publication of at least 1000 academic papers over a five-year period and a minimum of 150 publications annually. Achieving this benchmark reflects the scale and growth of research activity across ATU.
There are over 50,000 higher education institutions in the world with just under 2300 universities eligible for ranking. In addition to its overall ranking, ATU’s Engineering and Life Sciences subjects are ranked 1001-1200 band globally. These rankings provide an international benchmark for ATU’s performance across teaching, research, industry engagement and international activity.
The recognition is a further endorsement of Ireland’s Technological University model, which was designed to strengthen regional development, expand access to higher education and support research and innovation that directly benefits industry and communities across the country.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, said:
“This is a proud day for Atlantic Technological University and for the communities it serves across the west and north-west. To secure a place among the world’s leading universities so soon after becoming a Technological University is an outstanding accomplishment.
ATU has demonstrated how excellence in education and research can go hand-in-hand with a strong regional mission. This achievement reflects the dedication of staff, students and researchers across all campuses and highlights the growing international impact of the University.
I congratulate President Orla Flynn and the entire ATU community on this achievement and wish them continued success as they strengthen ATU’s position on the global stage.”
Welcoming the ranking, President of ATU, Dr Orla Flynn, said:
Being recognised among the top five per cent of universities worldwide is a tremendous achievement for ATU and a reflection of the dedication, expertise and ambition of our staff, students and researchers. In just over four years, ATU has established a strong reputation for teaching, research and innovation, while remaining deeply connected to the communities and regions we serve.
Harnessing our collective strengths as a Technological University has allowed us to grow our international standing and I am very pleased this has been recognised. I have no doubt the recognition will provide further opportunities to expand our global partnerships, research collaborations and student reach in the years ahead.”
International rankings such as this play an important role in enhancing institutional visibility, supporting international student recruitment, strengthening global research collaborations and attracting academic talent. They are widely used by prospective students, researchers and industry partners as indicators of institutional performance and reputation.
Chief Global Affairs Officer and COO, Times Higher Education, Phil Baty, commented:
“The Times Higher Education World University Rankings include only a small, elite section of the global pool of higher education institutions – globally focussed research universities, who meet a threshold of research publication output in quality assured, indexed publications, representing only around 2 per cent of world higher education and who submit to rigorous performance data evaluation and global benchmarking.
So entering the world rankings is a real achievement – joining a small, global group of research-active university peers the world rankings is a real achievement – joining a small, global group of research-active university peers, and earning a place on the world stage. To enter into the world top 1,800, well inside the prestigious world top 2,000, of more than 3,100 universities assessed and over 2,200 ranked, is also an achievement to be celebrated.
Congratulations to ATU on these landmark results, and THE looks forward to monitoring and benchmarking the institution’s future progress for many years to come.”
Research excellence has been a major contributor to ATU’s performance, reflecting significant growth in research capacity and output across ATU’s campuses in Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
Prof. Suresh C. Pillai, who led the ATU University ranking team, said:
“Entering THE global university world rankings is a significant achievement and an important milestone. It places ATU among a select group of research-active institutions worldwide, recognising the strength, scale and impact of its research and academic community. Two years of teamwork went into preparation, data collection and it was a great honour to lead this task.. This recognition belongs to the Irish higher education sector and represents an important milestone for ATU”.
The ranking represents an important step towards ATU’s development as a university of international standing. Achieving a place on the global stage provides valuable international visibility, strengthens the University’s reputation among peers, and reflects its growing contribution to the global higher education and research landscape.
Photo captions: 1. Students at Atlantic Technological University (ATU). 2. President of ATU, Dr Orla Flynn. 3. Research in action at ATU.
For media enquiries, contact:
Ivana Hanjs
Communications Officer
Tel: 089 963 9559
E: ivana.hanjs@atu.ie
