The Glasgow School of Art’s position as an international leader in art and design education and research has been reinforced again with the publication of the QS2025 World University Subject rankings. The GSA has been consistently ranked in the top 20 institutions internationally for the last 11 years and in the top 5 in the UK and top 10 in Europe.
The only institution in Scotland in the top 20 and one of only 3 UK institutions, the GSA is ranked as one of the world’s leading creative institutions alongside US institutions, The New School in New York, Rhode Island School of Design, MIT, the Pratt Institute and the School of Art Institute, Chicago; European universities and art schools including Politecnico Di Milano, Aalto University and Delft University of Technology; and leading Chinese institutions, including the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing and Tongji University in Shanghai.
The GSA’s international and UK-leading ranking emphasises Glasgow’s position as one of Europe’s leading cultural and creative cities. As a city, Glasgow has a significant concentration of world leading cultural and creative production activity, and a thriving ecosystem of studios, workshops and production facilities alongside exhibition and performance spaces, that provide a strong, connective foundation in which the city’s cultural and creative industries can thrive. The GSA sits in the heart of a supercluster alongside major cultural institutions like the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Scottish Opera, the National Theatre of Scotland and a host of smaller studio spaces and production and innovation complexes like The Whisky Bond, Glasgow Sculpture Studios, Civic House and the Glue Factory.
Commenting on the latest QS global ranking, Professor Penny Macbeth, Director and Principal of The Glasgow School of Art said:
“The QS rankings are one of the most influential measures of global Higher Education. The GSA has always been an international art school and we see huge value to our students and our city of being globally connected and internationally recognised in this way.
Across education, research, graduate retention and widening access the GSA is consistently internationally recognised as world-leading. We are part of the critical mass of cultural and creative production within the city, bringing huge benefits to Glasgow’s economy and the city’s global reputation as an influential creative centre. We provide significant social impacts to the communities in Glasgow and across Scotland we work with. The opportunity and challenge for us is to ensure that we make best use of our recognised global excellence and the collective strengths of Glasgow’s cultural and creative sector to maximise the contribution we can make”.
Dr Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce commented saying:
“The Glasgow School of Art’s continued global success is a testament to the city’s thriving cultural and creative sector. As one of the leading institutions in the world, the GSA plays a pivotal role in strengthening Glasgow’s reputation as an international hub for innovation, design, and creative industries. This ranking not only highlights the GSA’s excellence but also underscores the vital role that education and creativity play in Glasgow’s economic growth, attracting talent and investment to our city“.
ENDS
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA)
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Our studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draw talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world.
Originally founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, the School’s history can be traced back to 1753 and the establishment of the Foulis Academy delivering a European-style art education. Today, the GSA is an international community of over 3500 students and staff and 22,000 alumni across architecture, design, fine art and innovation and technology in our campuses in Glasgow and Altyre (in the Scottish Highlands). Consistently ranked as one of Scotland’s leading institutions for widening participation and access, 60% of graduates choose to remain in Glasgow after graduation, sustaining Glasgow’s position as one of the UK’s leading centres for the cultural and creative industries.
An annual publication giving the global subject rankings across the world’s top universities. They are published by Quacquarelli Symonds.
