Masters in Finance students with their laptops and chatting outside at WBS

Ranking boost: QS rankings also put the School's Master's courses in the world's top 20

Warwick Business School is celebrating after the University of Warwick’s significant rise to 17th place in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2026, a leap of five places and the University’s highest position to date.

The results reinforces the School's position as one of Europe’s leading University‑based business schools and highlights Warwick's global reputation.

The University of Warwick was noted for its strengths in ‘employer reputation’ where it rose to 15th. It was also 26th in Europe for 'academic reputation’ climbed 50 places to 32nd for ‘international student diversity’.

It follows WBS being ranked in the world's top 20 by QS for a string of its Master's courses. In the QS Business Master's Rankings 2026 the School's MSc Marketing & Strategy was named number one in the UK and sixth in the world for Master's in Marketing.

QS ranked WBS third in the UK and 13th in the world for Master's in Business Analytics, which has been further boosted by the School's revamped MSc Business Analytics & Artificial Intelligence course.

For Master's in Management QS ranked WBS fourth in the UK and 15th in the world, while for Master's in Finance it was 19th in the world and sixth in the UK.

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, said: “Achieving our highest ever place in the QS Europe rankings recognises the world‑class research and teaching that we offer at Warwick.

"This is the latest in a series of rankings that show we are a top performer nationally and internationally, and our entire community should be proud of their efforts building a dynamic, forward‑thinking, global institution.” 

QS also recognised Warwick’s strengths in 'international outlook' and 'sustainability', two core areas of the University’s Excellence with Purpose strategy guiding its ambitions to 2030. 

Warwick’s commitment to being an outward-looking and international university was further highlighted by being named Institution of the Year by the UK Council for International Student Affairs. 

Professor Michael Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), added: “Warwick is a proudly international and proudly European university. We are a founding member of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities – a proactive group of 23 universities strengthening the voice of universities in Europe – and a founding member of the EUTOPIA University Alliance – a dynamic network of 10 European universities and six global partners – working towards closer research collaboration and greater student opportunities across borders.

“At the same time, we work closely with a number of European strategic partners, including the recent launch of our Vrije Universiteit Brussel-Warwick Joint Seed Fund, as well as being the only UK university to have a permanent base in Venice, and we look forward to continuing to grow our European networks, engagement, and influence as part of our wider Warwick Global Network.”

Learn more about Warwick Business School’s Change Makers.