In the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject released on 25 March 2026, NUS has achieved its strongest performance to date, with seven CDE subjects in the global top 20, six of which are in the top 10.
Civil & Structural Engineering and Materials Science are now ranked 2nd in the world. Chemical Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering and Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering are in 3rd place, and Architecture & Built Environment ranked 7th.
New entrants to the global top 20 include Arts & Design, now ranked 19th from 30th in 2025.
These rankings underscore CDE’s commitment to interdisciplinary education and research.
Professor Teo Kie Leong, CDE Dean, attributed this success to the CDE community. "While we are proud of these rankings, they are ultimately a reflection of our people. This achievement is a direct result of our faculty's pursuit of knowledge, the intellectual curiosity and drive of our students, and the dedication of our staff, whose unwavering support sustains our entire ecosystem of excellence. Beyond the statistics, it is this collective spirit that truly defines the quality of our education and research."
NUS is Asia's leading institution and one of the top global universities, ranking sixth worldwide for the number of top-three subject entries—second only to US and UK institutions. It has shown significant progress, with 35 out of 45 previously ranked subjects showing improvement in standings. Out of 53 subject and broad subject area entries from Singapore, NUS is the highest-ranked local university in 46 of them.
“This broad-based recognition is a stellar testament to the talent and dedication of our faculty, researchers, staff, students and alumni,” said Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost.
The QS WUR by Subject is an independent comparative analysis of academic offerings by universities worldwide. This year’s edition evaluated more than 21,000 academic offerings from 1,912 institutions across 100 countries, spanning 55 academic disciplines and five broad subject areas.
More on NUS rankings at: NUS leads Asia in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026
