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QS World Rankings 2024: UAL maintains status as a leader in art and design education

A model standing in a black crochet dress against a grey backdrop
  • Written byPress Office
  • Published date 10 April 2024
A model standing in a black crochet dress against a grey backdrop
Lu Jin, 2023 MA Fashion Futures, London College of Fashion, UAL

In a boost for the UK’s creative industries and global reputation as a creative superpower, University of the Arts London (UAL) has been ranked 2nd in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 for art and design. It is the highest ranked institute offering undergraduate courses.

The University places 2nd overall behind fellow London institution the Royal College of Art, which is dedicated to postgraduate studies. UAL offers pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. 2024 marks the 6th consecutive year that UK institutions have topped the rankings for Art and Design.

UAL, comprises of 6 prestigious Colleges and 4 Institutes, currently educates over 20,000 students and boasts a global alumni network of 500,000.

Committed to expanding access to high-quality creative education, UAL has embarked on a number of significant initiatives. In 2023, a new campus for London College of Fashion opened at East Bank while redevelopment of the Lime Grove site in Shepherd’s Bush is underway to support our pre-degree offer - creating additional space across the Colleges and facilitating 3,000 more places for Higher Education students. Construction also progresses on a new London College of Communication campus at Elephant and Castle, all part of UAL's investment to broaden educational opportunities.

For the 6th consecutive year, the UK can proudly celebrate having the world's two best institutions for art and design. UAL serves as a magnet for skilled individuals from across the country and beyond, nurturing the pipeline of talent to support our creative industries. These industries, which contribute 6% to GDP, continue to outpace the growth of the overall economy. However, our impact extends far beyond economic metrics and just the creative industries. Our graduates and staff are at the forefront of addressing the most pressing challenges of our time, working across disciplines and harnessing creative thinking to unlock innovative solutions. Investing in creative education not only makes economic sense but also yields significant societal benefits.

— James Purnell, President and Vice-Chancellor of UAL