Students who want an education that will help them become global citizens would do well to consider the University of Alberta, according to the 2026 Times Higher Education ranking of the world’s most international universities, which places the U of A at 49th worldwide and fourth in Canada.
A globally engaged university, the U of A is a member of the Worldwide Universities Network and a leader in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It was ranked eighth in the world and second in Canada in the 2025 THE Impact Rankings, which assess institutions’ performance against the 17 UN goals.
Faculty members and students have opportunities to connect with peers from around the globe thanks to hundreds of international partnerships. Most recently, the U of A signed agreements with Japan’s Tohoku University to promote collaboration in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, robotics and business management, and with the University of Queensland in Australia to advance research and talent mobility related to strategic areas such as quantum technologies, AI, advanced manufacturing and critical minerals.
The U of A’s International Education and Enrolment activities include Global Learning programs that allow students to expand their experiences both on campus and abroad, with more than 250 programs in over 50 countries. Other opportunities include the award-winning annual International Week, a Certificate in International Learning and more than 800 courses with international content.
The university’s graduates also have a far-reaching global impact, founding more than 75,000 companies and contributing $250 billion to the global economy every year.
The top three spots in this year’s ranking all went to universities in Hong Kong, with Imperial College London and Abu Dhabi University rounding out the top five.
The most international universities ranking is based on four equally weighted metrics from the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings: proportion of international students and staff, international co-authorship and international reputation.