The University of São Paulo has secured its position as Latin America’s leading university for the second consecutive year, according to the Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings 2026. Brazilian universities dominated the top ten, capturing seven spots despite challenges faced during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.
The University of Campinas stayed in second place, while the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro held sixth. The Federal University of Minas Gerais climbed from 13th to 10th, reflecting steady improvements among Brazil’s higher education institutions.
Chile’s Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile moved up to third place, and Mexico placed two universities in the top ten for the first time since 2017, with Tecnológico de Monterrey in seventh and the National Autonomous University of Mexico at ninth. Despite these gains, 20 of Mexico’s 25 ranked universities fell in the standings, highlighting ongoing issues with low participation rates and limited public funding.
Experts say financial constraints continue to challenge Latin American universities. Daniela Salgado Gutiérrez from Universidad Panamericana noted that restricted government spending “creates a substantial challenge for the public system in sustaining quality at scale,” while private institutions face pressures to provide high-quality education affordably and work collaboratively with public programs.
The University of Chile dropped out of the top ten, landing at 13th place. Meanwhile, Ecuador’s UEES Espiritu Santo University entered the top 20 for the first time, and Panama joined the rankings with the University of Panama listed in the 151+ band. Sixteen institutions made their debut in the 2026 edition.
This year’s methodology assessed universities on a global scale rather than regionally, which affected rankings across the board. Dawisson Belém Lopes, a professor at UFMG, said the results show Brazil’s universities are rebounding from years of funding cuts and underappreciation under previous administrations. He noted that nearly 90 percent of research publications in Brazil originate from public institutions, making governmental support critical to global standing.
Belém Lopes added, “There is still much work to be done, but South America, with Brazil at its center, is regaining its position in higher education.” The rankings analyzed data from 2020 to 2025, including research output, teaching quality, and international collaboration.
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