MAHE surges to 601-800 Band in THE World University Rankings 2026

October 13, 2025

Manipal, October 11, 2025 – Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, has achieved a significant milestone in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, advancing from the 801-1000 band (2025) to the 601-800 band (2026). This notable improvement reflects MAHE's strengthened research ecosystem, enhanced teaching environment, and growing global reputation.

The achievement positions MAHE among the top leading private universities in India within this prestigious ranking band, reinforcing its status as a leading research-driven institution in the country.

GLOBAL CONTEXT AND METHODOLOGY

The 2026 edition of THE World University Rankings, released on October 9, 2025, evaluated 2,191 institutions from 115 countries and territories using 18 calibrated indicators grouped into five key performance pillars: Teaching (29.5%), Research Environment (29%), Research Quality (30%), International Outlook (7.5%), and Industry Engagement (4%).

MAHE'S PILLAR-WISE PERFORMANCE

MAHE demonstrated consistent improvement across all performance parameters. The institution's Research Quality score showed the most substantial gain, improving by 8.6 points to reach 56.4 in 2026 from 47.8 in 2025. A clear indication of increased publication visibility, research impact, and international collaboration.

Performance Pillar	2026 score	2025 score	Change
Teaching	44.7	42.6	+2.1
Research Environment	18.6	17.0	+1.6
Research Quality	56.4	47.8	+8.6
Industry Engagement	54.1	50.1	+4.0
International Outlook	52.2	51.0	+1.2

All MAHE's scores are above the global median highlighting the institution's competitiveness at an international level. The university performed notably above worldwide medians in all categories, with Research Quality and Industry Engagement emerging as standout strengths.MAHE demonstrated consistent improvement across all performance parameters. Research Quality stood out as MAHE’s most improved pillar, with an impressive increase of 8.6 points—from 47.8 in 2025 to 56.4 in 2026. This substantial gain underscores the university’s growing publication visibility, research impact, and international collaboration.

MAHE’s commitment to research and innovation was recently recognized with a prestigious award for Research and Innovation from FICCI at an event held in Delhi. Further testament to the university’s research excellence, 62 MAHE faculty members have been featured in the top 2 percentile of the Stanford list of researchers, highlighting the institution’s global impact and scholarly distinction.

PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK COMPARISON

Metric	MAHE	Worldwide Median	Worldwide Top Quartile
Teaching	44.7	25.9	57.4
Research Environment	18.6	17.4	54.4
Research Quality	56.4	53.0	99.6
Industry Engagement	54.1	42.3	100
International Outlook	52.2	45.2	99.5

Commenting on MAHE's achievement, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, VSM (Retd), Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said: "This advancement in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings showcases MAHE’s commitment to fostering a robust research ecosystem and delivering academic excellence. The significant improvement in our Research Quality score reflects our faculty's dedication to impactful scholarship and international collaboration. We remain steadfast in our mission to position MAHE as a globally recognized institution while maintaining our focus on innovation, sustainability, and student-centric education."

MAHE's performance is driven by several core strengths. The institution's Research Quality pillar demonstrates a strong upward trajectory in citation impact and collaborative publications. Simultaneously, exceptional Industry Engagement scores reflect effective knowledge transfer, patent development, and robust corporate partnerships. The university maintains sustained global collaborations with diverse student representation, while its teaching excellence is reinforced by improving student-faculty ratios and advanced pedagogical approaches.

MAHE ranks alongside India's leading private universities, including VIT, Symbiosis International University, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, and Amity University, Noida, affirming its position as a top private research university in India with increasing global recognition.

Strategic opportunities for growth include increasing competitive national and international research funding and grants, accelerating faculty development programs that encourage high-impact research and mentorship of early-career researchers, and strengthening global reputation through enhanced visibility at international conferences and academic networks.