CWUR 2026 Ranking places 52 Brazilian universities among the best in the world

Centro for Rankings Universitários Mundiais (CWUR) released its new global ranking, revealing that 52 Brazilian institutions are among the top two thousand in the world. Contudo, 87% of these national universities lost positions compared to data from previous editions of the survey. Essa sharp drop reflects a scenario of increasing international competition and internal challenges.

The list highlights the predominance of universities from the south-southeast axis of Brasil among the best classified, with institutions from São Paulo, Rio from Janeiro, Rio Grande from Sul, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and Paraná leading the national representation. Globalmente, China surpassed Estados Unidos for the first time in the number of universities classified, consolidating its presence with 360 institutions against 313 American ones.

Desempenho general of Brazilian institutions

The decline observed in Brazilian universities is a point of attention in the global educational scenario. Apesar has a significant presence in the CWUR ranking, the percentage of institutions that lost positions signals the intensification of competition. Essa loss is linked to several factors, mainly research performance, as pointed out by the president of CWUR, Nadim Mahassen.

“Brazilian universities are struggling to offer high-quality education, attract and retain talent, and produce quality research at scale,” said Mahassen. The statement highlights the pressure of global competition, which involves well-funded institutions with greater investments in infrastructure and innovation. The ability to generate cutting-edge research and maintain a qualified faculty and student body becomes crucial in this environment.

Estados with featured universities

The ranking analysis reveals a geographic concentration of the best-ranked Brazilian universities. Estados as São Paulo, Rio of Janeiro, Rio Grande of Sul, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and Paraná house the majority of national institutions that are among the best in the world. Esta distribution reflects the historical concentration of investment and development in research and teaching in these regions.

Universidade of São Paulo (USP) maintains its national leadership position, appearing as the best placed Brazilian institution, in 119th position overall. Seguida by other large federal and state universities, the presence of these institutions in these regions is vital for the higher education panorama in Brasil. The strong performance of the southeast and south demonstrates the regional academic strength, although the challenge of the general decline in positions persists.

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Principais Brazilian universities in the CWUR ranking

The CWUR survey details the position of each Brazilian university among the two thousand best in the world. Essa classification offers an overview of the competitiveness of national institutions.

• Universidade from São Paulo:Posição general 119
• Universidade Federal of Rio of Janeiro:Posição general 346
• Universidade Estadual from Campinas:Posição general 379
• Universidade Federal of Rio Grande of Sul:Posição general 476
• Universidade Estadual Paulista:Posição general 479
• Universidade Federal from Minas Gerais:Posição general 508
• Universidade Federal from São Paulo:Posição general 621
• Fundação Oswaldo Cruz:Posição general 682
• Universidade Federal from Santa Catarina:Posição general 732
• Universidade Federal from Paraná:Posição general 799
• Universidade from Brasília:Posição general 837
• Fundação Getúlio Vargas:885
• Universidade of Estado of Rio of Janeiro:886
• Universidade Federal from Pernambuco:891
• Universidade Federal of Rio Grande of Norte:959

Essas institutions represent the forefront of higher education and research in the country. Their presence is fundamental to the scientific and technological development of Brasil, even in the face of current challenges.

Comparativo with 2025 and decline factors

The 2026 ranking showed that nine of the ten main Brazilian universities fell in position compared to the 2025 compilation. Universidade of São Paulo had a drop of one position, while Universidade Federal of Rio of Janeiro fell 15 places. Universidade Estadual of Campinas fell ten places, and Universidade Estadual Paulista, 22. Outras institutions such as Universidade Federal of Minas Gerais (-11), Universidade Federal of São Paulo (-4), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (-14), Universidade Federal of Santa Catarina Paraná (-5) and Universidade Federal (-16) also posted losses.

The only institution in the top ten that did not show a decline was Universidade Federal of Rio Grande of Sul, maintaining its 476th position in 2025 and 2026. Segundo o CWUR, the main reason for the general decline of Brazilian universities lies in research performance. The intensification of global competition, driven by institutions with greater funding, places Brazilian universities in a scenario of difficulty in maintaining or improving their rankings. Este context requires continuous assessment and strategies to strengthen teaching and research in the country.