The top spot has changed among Turkey's best universities
The balance in the list of Turkish universities in international rankings has completely shifted this year. Middle East Technical University has risen to the top, while Koç University, which had held the lead for a long time, has fallen to third place.
12punto
The highly anticipated 2026 university rankings for the global education world have been announced. The list, which shows the standing of universities in Turkey on the world stage, contains significant changes this year. This shift in position among Turkey's leading higher education institutions is expected to make a major impact in academic circles.
According to the latest evaluation results, Middle East Technical University (METU) ranked highest for Turkey with 48.5 points, placing 269th on the global list. METU was followed by Istanbul Technical University (ITU), which found its place at 298th. Koç University, which had not relinquished the top spot in recent years, fell to 323rd place globally and third place nationwide this year.
The rankings and scores of the universities in the top 10 nationwide are as follows:
Middle East Technical University (METU): World ranking 269- Score: 48.5
Istanbul Technical University (ITU): World ranking 298- Score: 45.8
Koç University: World ranking 323- Score: 43.1
Boğaziçi University: World ranking 371- Score: 40.3
Sabancı University: World ranking 404- Score: 37.2
Bilkent University: World ranking 415- Score: 36.6
Hacettepe University: World ranking 571- Score: 29.2
Istanbul University: World ranking 628- Score: 27.4
Eastern Mediterranean University: World ranking 691- Score: 25.4
Public universities showed a remarkable rise in the rankings. Hacettepe University at 571st, Istanbul University at 628th, and Eastern Mediterranean University at 691st were among the institutions that stood out by entering the list. While the success of state universities in technical fields was particularly highlighted, the success of Eastern Mediterranean University from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also drew attention.