Universities at the forefront of breaking down barriers to new discoveries and doing the most to advance interdisciplinarity have been recognized for their impact and ambition.
Published today, the 2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, in association with Schmidt Science Fellows, highlights the institutions pioneering new and effective support for interdisciplinary research.
Significantly increased participation in the initiative reflects a global movement of institutions that want to share, learn, and change the way science is done.
For the second year in a row, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) holds the #1 position, and US institutions make up the majority of the Top 10.
With more than 900 institutions ranked across 94 countries, the robust data analysis highlights best practices and innovative strategies wherever they are found.
Wendy Schmidt, Co-Founder of Schmidt Science Fellows, said: “Interdisciplinary science isn’t only a way to pursue discovery, it’s a way to restructure our institutions of learning to encourage new questions and perspectives on how the world and all its systems are interconnected.
“The universities in this year’s Interdisciplinary Science Rankings have created environments that nurture this new way of seeing and the groundbreaking discoveries it can bring.”
The driving purpose of the Rankings is to champion the importance of paradigm-shifting interdisciplinary science and the innovative universities across the globe that are most effective at supporting it.
Launched last year, it was the biggest debut ranking in Times Higher Education’s history, and this year, participation rates have increased by 22 percent.
“Interdisciplinary science isn’t only a way to pursue discovery, it’s a way to restructure our institutions of learning to encourage new questions and perspectives.”
Megan Kenna, Executive Director of Schmidt Science Fellows, said: “Interdisciplinary science can accelerate progress, from improving how we store and use energy to enabling earlier disease detection, strengthening food systems, and ensuring that technology advances the public good.
“When ideas and methods intersect across fields, we accelerate discovery and expand what is possible.
She added: “The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings highlights institutions that are cultivating the cultures, structures, and leadership needed to support this work. It shows where new ways of thinking are taking hold and where scientific imagination is being given room to grow.
“The 22 percent increase in participating universities reflects a global movement. Institutions that want to pioneer the future of research are stepping forward, learning from one another and evolving how science is done in the 21st century.”
“The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings highlights institutions that are cultivating the cultures, structures, and leadership needed to support this work.”
Alongside the Rankings, Times Higher Education has published a complete analysis of the data: Interdisciplinary Futures: Global Approaches and Insights from the ISR 2026.
This white paper highlights key insights and performance across the three metric pillars – inputs, process, and outputs.
The strong overall performance by the US is driven by its high scores in the outputs pillar – with 13 US institutions ranking in the top 20 for this metric – which measures the number and share of interdisciplinary science research publications, the citations of interdisciplinary science research, and the reputation for supporting interdisciplinary teams.
Ian A. Waitz, Vice President for Research at MIT, said the Rankings elevated the way interdisciplinary science is supported.
“For more than 80 years, research universities have advanced our understanding of the world, leading to dramatic improvements in health, economic prosperity, and national security. That work fundamentally is done best when people ideate and collaborate without regard for disciplinary boundaries within and between scientific areas.”
He added: “We all benefit from a strong network of institutions advancing interdisciplinary science. It’s encouraging to see that network recognized and what we might learn from one another. In my view, the role that Times Higher Education and the Schmidt Science Fellows program are playing in elevating and supporting interdisciplinary science is remarkable.”
This year, in response to university engagement and feedback, the interdisciplinary scope has been broadened to cover any research project that comprises multiple scientific disciplines, or one or more scientific disciplines combined with one or more of the following non-STEM disciplines: social sciences, education, psychology, law, economics, or clinical and health.
Phil Baty, THE’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, said: “The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings are designed to give interdisciplinary research more visibility, to shine a light on teachable best practices and to incentivise universities to further push the boundaries of human understanding.
“So it is hugely heartening to see so many universities embrace this data-driven exercise to demonstrate their commitment to interdisciplinarity, and to celebrate their leadership of the movement. What’s particularly exciting is the sheer diversity of participation, from across the continents, including the global north and south, all with insights and best practices to share.”
Alongside the Rankings launch Times Higher Education and Schmidt Science Fellows are holding the annual Interdisciplinary Science Forum in Washington, DC, today (November 20).
The Forum event will uncover the “how” of interdisciplinary science, with expert panels exploring the strategies, cultures, and mindsets that allow the most impactful and ambitious science to thrive.
