Five CityUHK subjects secure global top 50 in QS World University by Subject 2026; Materials Science and Veterinary Science rank No. 1 in Hong Kong
25 Mar 2026
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has demonstrated exceptional performance again in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2026, with five disciplines securing positions in the global top 50. Notably, “Materials Science” and “Veterinary Science” rank first in Hong Kong, underscoring the University’s ongoing commitment to rigorous academic standards and innovative knowledge exchange, with its teaching and research strengths, which were recognised globally.
This year, CityUHK has 20 subjects ranked in the global top 100, five of which break into the top 50, including;
- Linguistics: #36
- Materials Science: #39
- Law and Legal Studies: #41
- Social Policy and Administration: #46
- Communication and Media Studies: #49
Notably, Materials Science and Law and Legal Studies have advanced into the top 50 this year, with Materials Science rising 13 places from 52nd last year and Law and Legal Studies climbing 15 places from 56th.
In addition, CityUHK’s Materials Science and Veterinary Science which have been in the global top 100 for two consecutive years, both rank No. 1 in Hong Kong this year. Materials Science claimed the top spot in Hong Long for the first time, promising significant and far-reaching impact on local and global societal development in the future.
CityUHK leads in veterinary education and materials science internationally. The six-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme offered by the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences is the only one in Asia accredited by both the two foremost veterinary regulatory bodies in the UK and Australia/New Zealand. In Materials Science, CityUHK also ranks No. 1 in Hong Kong in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities 2025–2026 and the ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025. Last year, the University partnered with the world-renowned materials science pioneer École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) to establish the Institute for Materials Innovation, driving cutting-edge, world-class research in the field.
CityUHK has also shown improvement across the five Broad Subject Areas, particularly in “Social Sciences & Management” and “Arts & Humanities”, which both enter the global top 100, ranking #68 and #83 respectively. “Arts & Humanities” and “Life Sciences & Medicine” have also seen substantial rises of 47 and 62 places from last year, respectively.
CityUHK is dedicated to advancing teaching, research, and innovation across various disciplines to come up with the global education trend, actively engaging in international academic and research collaborations. By exerting positive influence locally and globally through world-class academic and research strength, the University attracts top talent worldwide, contributing to the “Study in Hong Kong” brand and its development as an international hub for higher education.
In recent years, CityUHK has excelled in major global subject rankings. In the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject, seven subjects entered the global top 100, with Law and Business & Economics ranking in the global top 50 and among Asia’s top 10. Additionally, 27 subjects at CityUHK ranked in the global top 100 in the ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, with Library & Information Science, Public Administration, and Automation & Control reaching the global top 10, and 12 subjects ranking first in Hong Kong.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject evaluates leading universities’ academic programmes based on five key performance indicators, namely academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, H-index, and international research network. More than 1,900 universities from over 100 countries and regions were included in the 2026 rankings.