UC Riverside ranked in the top 1.3% of universities worldwide in the 2024 Center for World University Rankings, released Monday, May 13. This recognition underscores the university’s ongoing commitment to excellence in education, research, and community impact, and highlights the significant role UCR plays among leading global institutions.

In the 2024 rankings, the campus earned the position of No. 263 out of 20,966 universities evaluated across the globe. This placement firmly situates UC Riverside among the very top tier of higher education institutions. On a national level, UCR ranked No. 82 in the United States, reflecting its strength and competitiveness among a large and diverse group of American universities. For the combined region of the United States and Canada, UCR was placed at No. 95, further showcasing its strong standing within North America.

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), a consultancy based in the United Arab Emirates, publishes this annual evaluation. CWUR is recognized for its comprehensive and transparent methodology, which allows institutions to be compared across multiple areas of achievement. The organization evaluates universities according to four key categories: education, which measures the academic success of a university’s alumni; employability, which tracks the professional success of alumni in leadership positions; faculty, which considers top academic distinctions awarded to members of the institution; and research, which measures both the volume and the influence of scholarly work produced.

Each institution is assigned a score based on these categories, with 100 being the highest possible score. In this year’s report, UC Riverside earned a score of 77.6. This score reflects consistent strengths across all evaluated areas, from the quality of its faculty to the professional accomplishments of its graduates and the growing impact of its research output.

The achievement is especially notable because it marks the sixth consecutive year in which UC Riverside has ranked in the top 1.3% of universities worldwide. Maintaining this level of performance year after year demonstrates stability, resilience, and an ongoing commitment to improvement. It also illustrates how UCR continues to build on its momentum, ensuring that its students and faculty remain competitive at a global level.

For students and alumni, these rankings provide validation that their education is respected internationally. A high ranking not only increases the value of a UCR degree in the job market but also reassures current students that they are part of an institution recognized for excellence. Employers and graduate schools also take notice of such achievements, which enhances the opportunities available to UCR graduates.

For faculty and researchers, the recognition highlights the impact of their contributions in advancing knowledge and addressing critical issues across disciplines. Strong performance in research output and influence is evidence of UCR’s growing role as a research powerhouse, where innovation and discovery are central to its mission.

UC Riverside’s consistent placement in the top 1.3% reflects a broader story of success, one that combines high-quality teaching, groundbreaking research, and a commitment to serving diverse communities. By continuing to excel in each of the CWUR’s categories, UCR is not only improving its own standing but also strengthening the reputation of the University of California system and demonstrating the global reach of its impact.