QS World University Rankings reveal the best universities to study fashion

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a higher education data platform, has unveiled its annual ranking of the world's best universities. In the field of art and design, the Royal College of Art in London takes the top position.

The QS World University Rankings 2023 includes a total of 1,594 institutions, including 103 new ones. Each institution's ranking is based on five indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, publication data, the H-Index (a way of measuring the productivity and impact of a professor or academic department) and the international research network (the ability of institutions to diversify the geography of their international research network through partnerships).

When it comes to studies in art and design, London tops the ranking with two institutions: the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the University of the Arts London (UAL).

Both universities offer fashion programmes namely the master in fashion at the Royal College of Art and the University of the Arts London offers a bachelor programme in fashion at its London College of Fashion (LCF) as well as a master programme at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.

2023 is the second consecutive year that UAL ranks second in the QS World University Ranking.

In third place among the top art and design universities, the QS World University Rankings lists the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). The American institution, founded in 1877, is one of the oldest universities in the country. Its educational offerings include a BFA in apparel design.

In fourth place is another US university: The New School. This American organisation groups together several faculties, including the Parsons School of Design in New York.

QS ranks two universities in 6th place for 2023. Aalto University in Finland and the Pratt Institute in New York city received the exact same score.

Fashion graduates of Aalto University have participated in the Hyères International Fashion, Photography and Accessories Festival in France in recent years.

Some of the fashion alumni from Aalto University have already won prizes at the Hyères festival, such as Sofia Ilomen in 2021.

Rounding out the top 10, Italian institution of higher education the Polytechnic University of Milan comes in at number 8, followed by the Design Academy of Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

Finally, Tongji University located in Shanghai, China comes in 10th.

Global institutions offering fashion programmes in the top 20

When it comes to UK institutions, one school located outside of London appears at the 12th position, namely The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland.

Three more US institutions appear in the top 20 of best universities to study art and design. The School of Art Institute in Chicago ranks 11th, the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California ranks 14th, well-known art and fashion school The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) comes in at position 16.

Fashion schools in France in the QS World University Rankings 2023

Another country known for its higher education fashion programmes, France and its fashion programmes show up a bit lower in the QS ranking 2023.

The École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) is the first French fashion and art institution to appear in the ranking. The Parisian institution ranks 37th.

The 40th place is also occupied by a French institution with a textile design course: the École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle, ENSCI Les Ateliers. This university is recognised for "its innovative approach to design education, based on the diversity of student profiles, individualised programming and project-based learning", according to the school's profile.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.FR. Translation and editing from French into English by Veerle Versteeg.