The classification developed by the agency QS is based on academic performance data, both structural and reputational.

The QS ranking conducts a census on around 1000 universities worldwide.

In the 2022 edition, the University of Pisa is ranked in 388^th place worldwide, and 7^th in Italy, maintaining as its strong points academic reputation (207^th) and the quality of scientific production (321^st) where the University has gone up by 48 places from the 2021 edition. In the QS classification, the University of Pisa confirms the constant improvement in progress since 2017: since then it has gained a total of about 50 positions in an absolute sense (from the 431-440 position range to the 388_th position), and as many as 14 percentage points, entering in the first third of the ranking itself.

In addition to the global ranking, QS also draws up a ranking by discipline (QS by Subject), evaluating 48 disciplines grouped into 5 macro areas.

In the 2021 edition, the University of Pisa is present in all macro-areas. In particular, the University ranked 18^th in the world for "Classics and Ancient History" (3^rd in Italy after La Sapienza in Rome and the Scuola Normale Superiore), and 18^th in the world for "Physics & Astronomy" (2^nd place in Italy after La Sapienza in Rome).

Finally, QS also draws up the Graduate Employability Rankings, a ranking on the ability of universities to guarantee employment prospects for their graduates. The ranking analyses about 500 universities around the world.

The criteria used are the reputation of universities with employers, partnerships with businesses, the success of graduates in their careers, the active presence of companies in the University in the last twelve months and the employment rate of graduates a year after graduating.

In the 2020 edition, the University of Pisa ranked in the 161-170 range worldwide and 7^th place in Italy.

How rankings are assembled

QS website: results

QS website: methodology