The 10th edition of the U-Ranking, an initiative of the BBVA Foundation and the Valencian Institute of Economic Research (Ivie), was published on 22 June. The ranking analyses Spanish universities based on 20 indicators on two major dimensions (teaching and research and innovation), which are structured in four areas: resources, production, quality and internationalisation. The 2022 edition includes data from 72 universities—48 public and 24 private universities (two more than in the previous edition).

The U-Ranking publishes two types of classifications: the U-Ranking, which sorts universities by performance, and U-Ranking-Volume, which sorts universities based on absolute values. In terms of performance (U-Ranking), the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) is the top university in Spain together with the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M).

In the teaching dimension, the UPC also remains the leader, sharing this position with the Universitat Politècnica de València, the European University of Madrid, the Universidad Carlos III, the University of Navarra, the Ramon Llull University and the International University of La Rioja. In the research and innovation dimension, the University has climbed to the second position with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and is the top Spanish technical university.

In terms of overall volume (U-Ranking-Volume), the University is ranked 9th; in the teaching dimension it remains in the 7th position with the Universitat Autònoma, and in the research and innovation dimension it has climbed from the 8th to the 6th position.

Outstanding indicators in research and innovation
In addition to the above classifications, the publishers of the U-Ranking produce a report per university, which contains the graphic representation of the university’s score in each indicator. In the 2022 edition, the UPC remains above the Spanish average in almost all the indicators (18 out of 20) and stands out in two indicators linked to the research and innovation dimension, in which it obtains the maximum score (100): European research funds per faculty members with PhD and impact factor.

In addition to including the main results on the ranking website, the publishers produce an annual report with a comprehensive analysis of the results. The report includes a graph that classifies institutions based on their results in the U-Ranking (performance) and U-Ranking-Volume: the UPC is in the upper quadrant, with a performance higher than the corresponding according to its volume, located again to the right of the diagonal.

U-Ranking vs U-Ranking-Volume of Spanish universities, 2022. Source: 2022 U-Ranking. Synthetic indicators of Spanish universities

The report also classifies institutions by comparing the index obtained in U-Ranking-Volume with the size factor of each institution, a synthetic indicator created by the publishers based on the number of teaching staff, students and budget. In this graph, the UPC is above the diagonal, in other words, it has a volume index higher than the corresponding according to the volume factor calculated by the publishers, hence its good performance results.

U-Ranking-Volume index vs size indicator, 2022. Source: 2022 U-Ranking. Synthetic indicators of Spanish universities

Leader in the ranking of science postgraduate degrees
The 10th edition of the U-Ranking also incorporates for the first time a report on master’s and doctoral degrees in Spanish universities, which analyses 12 indicators. In the overall ranking the UPC is ranked 3rd and in the lists by area of study it is the leader in sciences.

For universities to be positioned in the global postgraduate degree ranking, they need to be listed in a minimum of three rankings by area of study.

UPC bachelor’s degrees among the best in Spain
The ranking’s website also allows to obtain lists by area of study or bachelor’s degree. Based on the default weights proposed by the publishers—56% for teaching and 44% for research and innovation—several UPC bachelor’s degrees are ranked 1st in Spain in their respective areas either alone or together with degrees from other universities.

In Arts and Humanities:

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Animation and Digital Art
• Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia

In Sciences:

• Double bachelor’s degree in Informatics Engineering and Mathematics at the Interdisciplinary Higher Education Centre (CFIS)
• Bachelor’s degree in Marine Sciences and Technologies

In Architecture and Engineering:

• Double bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Systems Engineering and Telecommunications Systems Engineering or Network Engineering
• Double bachelor’s degree in Informatics Engineering and Mathematics at the CFIS
• Bachelor’s degree in Informatics Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications
• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Systems Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Network Engineering
• Double-degree pathway with the bachelor’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering and Network Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Systems Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering
• Degree in Architecture Studies
• Bachelor’s degree in Geoinformation and Geomatics Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Marine Technologies
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technology and Building Construction (Barcelona)
• Double-degree pathway with the bachelor’s degrees in Marine Technologies and Naval Systems and Technology Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Nautical Engineering and Maritime Transport
• Double bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technology and Building Construction and Business Administration and Management
• Double bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and Informatics Engineering at the CFIS
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technologies
• Bachelor’s degree in Mineral Resource Engineering and Mineral Recycling
• Double-degree pathways with the bachelor’s degrees in Industrial Electronics and Automatic Control Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Mineral Resource Engineering and Mineral Recycling

In Industrial engineering:

• Double-degree pathways with the bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering, Industrial Electronics and Automatic Control Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
• Double-degree pathways with the bachelor’s degrees in Textile Technology and Design Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Electronics and Automatic Control Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering.
• Double bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Systems Engineering and Telecommunications Systems Engineering or Network Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technologies and Economic Analysis (taught in English)
• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Further information

• UPC Rankings Observatory