ATLANTIC Technological University (ATU), which has campuses in Letterkenny and Killybegs, has been recognised among the top five per cent of higher education institutions globally.
The university was included for the first time ever in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026.
ATU becomes only the second Technological University in Ireland to be included in the global rankings, following Technological University Dublin.
The ranking formally positions the university among the top five per cent of universities worldwide. It represents a notable achievement for an institution established just over four years ago following the formation of ATU in April 2022 through the amalgamation of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Sligo.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are regarded as one of the most influential assessments of university performance internationally. Institutions are scored across five key areas: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry Engagement and International Outlook.
A key factor in ATU’s inclusion was meeting the research criteria required for entry. Universities must demonstrate sustained research activity, including the publication of at least 1,000 academic papers over a five-year period and a minimum of 150 publications annually. Achieving this benchmark reflects the scale and growth of research activity across ATU.
There are over 50,000 higher education institutions in the world with just under 2,300 universities eligible for ranking. In addition to its overall ranking, ATU’s Engineering and Life Sciences subjects are ranked 1001-1200 band globally. These rankings provide an international benchmark for ATU’s performance across teaching, research, industry engagement and international activity.
The recognition is a further endorsement of Ireland’s Technological University model, which was designed to strengthen regional development, expand access to higher education and support research and innovation that directly benefits industry and communities across the country.
President of ATU, Dr Orla Flynn, said: “Being recognised among the top five per cent of universities worldwide is a tremendous achievement for ATU and a reflection of the dedication, expertise and ambition of our staff, students and researchers. In just over four years, ATU has established a strong reputation for teaching, research and innovation, while remaining deeply connected to the communities and regions we serve.
“Harnessing our collective strengths as a Technological University has allowed us to grow our international standing and I am very pleased this has been recognised. I have no doubt the recognition will provide further opportunities to expand our global partnerships, research collaborations and student reach in the years ahead.”
International rankings such as this are widely used by prospective students, researchers and industry partners as indicators of institutional performance and reputation.