# A turning point for Brazilian science: how USP overtook global giants in the world's leading university ranking

Reaching 141st place in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027 marks a watershed not only for the University of São Paulo (USP), but for Brazil's entire science, technology and innovation ecosystem.

- Section: Education
- Published: October 19, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/a-turning-point-for-brazilian-science-how-usp-overtook-global-giants
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/a-virada-da-ciencia-nacional-como-a-usp-superou-gigantes-globais-no-pr.md

![Aerial view of the USP campus, with buildings among trees and the city in the background](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/a-virada-da-ciencia-nacional-como-a-usp-superou-gigantes-globais-no-pr-foto.webp)

Photo: Cecília Bastos/USP Imagens

## Key points

- USP rose from the 201–250 band to 141st place in the THE World University Rankings 2027.
- It is the first Brazilian university among the world's 150 best; Unicamp entered the top 350.
- Brazil has 58 institutions on the list and leads Latin America.

With a significant leap from the 201–250 band in the previous cycle, the São Paulo institution becomes the first Brazilian university to join the select group of the world's top 150. The result, driven by gains in the research environment and teaching excellence pillars, reflects the maturity of Brazilian public scientific output in the face of global demands.

USP's performance led Brazil's consolidation as the largest academic power in Latin America. The country now has 58 institutions in the international list, with a highlight also for the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), which achieved the best result in its history by entering the world's top 350. The joint progress reinforces the relevance of Latin American public higher education amid increasingly fierce international competition, historically led by global powers such as the United Kingdom and the United States, whose universities (Oxford, MIT, Princeton and Stanford) again hold the top spots in the ranking.

## Absolute leadership in Latin America

On the continent, USP consolidated its sole leadership by overtaking traditional regional powers such as the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (UC) and Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico). The progress of Brazilian institutions, with 58 entries in the ranking, reaffirms the country's supremacy in higher education and scientific research in Latin America, leaving behind longtime competitors from Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

## The strategic meaning for Brazil: intellectual capital and attracting investment

For Brazil's economic and institutional environment, USP's rise to an unprecedented level of global prestige has deep strategic consequences. Having a Brazilian university among the planet's 150 best validates, first of all, the country's ability to generate cutting-edge knowledge and local solutions for complex challenges such as the energy transition, public health, sustainable agribusiness and artificial intelligence.

This international repositioning acts directly on attracting capital. Universities well established in global rankings secure significantly larger volumes of international research funding, grants from funding foundations and strategic partnerships with multinationals focused on Research and Development (R&D).

In addition, the structural and financial strengthening of the academic ecosystem mitigates the long-standing "brain drain". By ensuring solid conditions for scientific production, the country keeps brilliant minds in its institutions and begins to attract high-level foreign faculty, postdoctoral researchers and students. Finally, the seal of excellence raises the moral and commercial value of patents registered in Brazil, making technology transfer to industry easier and strengthening the ecosystem of spinoffs and deep techs.

## A more valuable degree and the impact on students and alumni

For the academic community, made up of hundreds of thousands of enrolled students and generations of graduates, international recognition translates into immediate reputational gains. In practice, entering the top 150 simplifies formal degree recognition in Europe, North America and Asia, increasing graduates' admission rates to master's and Ph.D. programs at the world's elite institutions.

In the corporate market, multinationals and large conglomerates use international rankings as a primary filter to recruit technical and executive leaders, making the institution's graduates more competitive. The rising prestige also strengthens alumni networks, encouraging business partnerships, mentoring and venture capital funds. For those with an established career, their alma mater's steady progress continually renews the perceived value of their credentials on their résumé.

## Metrics and the geopolitical context of knowledge

The THE World University Rankings methodology assesses institutions on five fundamental pillars: teaching (the learning environment), research environment (volume, income and reputation), research quality (citation impact and excellence), international outlook (foreign staff and students) and knowledge transfer to industry.

According to Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer at Times Higher Education, the intensity of global competition puts serious pressure on Latin American universities, but the signs of resilience and growth from USP and other Brazilian institutions show the country's ability to stand out at the top of the academic elite.

## Global overview: the top 10 and the Brazilian highlight in THE 2027

| Global rank | Higher education institution | Country / region | Main highlights |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1st | University of Oxford | United Kingdom | Global leader for the 11th year in a row |
| 2nd | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States | Global reference in engineering and R&D |
| 3rd | Princeton University | United States | Leader in basic science and the humanities |
| 4th | Stanford University | United States | Hub of innovation and entrepreneurship |
| 5th | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | Historic excellence in scientific research |
| 6th | Harvard University | United States | Greatest academic reputation and endowment |
| 7th | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | United States | High density of citation impact |
| 8th | Imperial College London | United Kingdom | Focus on medicine, engineering and business |
| 9th | University of California, Berkeley | United States | Leading public university in the US |
| 10th | Yale University | United States | Strong in law, the arts and research |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 141st | University of São Paulo (USP) | Brazil | Best ranking in the history of Brazilian higher education (top 150) |
| Top 350 | State University of Campinas (Unicamp) | Brazil | The institution's best performance ever (top 350) |

## Sources and editorial notes

- Data and indicators: Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027 and reporting by O Estado de S. Paulo (September 30, 2026 edition, Metrópole section, by Roberta Jansen).
- Statements: Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer at Times Higher Education.
- Market and career analysis: Editorial analysis by the CEO ONE portal based on the socioeconomic impact and technology transfer criteria of the THE methodology.

CEO ONE · https://ceoone.com.br