XAUAT News Network — On March 25, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a globally renowned higher education analytics organization, released the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT) was ranked 138th worldwide in Architecture and Built Environment, rising 52 places from its 2025 position.
In this year’s rankings, a total of 10 subjects from four universities in Shaanxi Province were ranked among the world’s top 150. Among universities directly administered by the Shaanxi provincial government, only two subjects entered the global top 150: XAUAT’s Architecture and Built Environment and Archaeology at Northwest University.
In recent years, the University has remained committed to its goal of becoming a “Double First-Class” institution and has focused on developing a world-class disciplinary cluster centered on green building. Closely aligning with national strategic priorities, XAUAT has strengthened its presence in a range of emerging interdisciplinary fields, including green building, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, renewable energy, new energy storage technologies, and the low-altitude economy.
Leveraging national-level research platforms such as the State Key Laboratory and the Ministry of Education International Joint Laboratory, the University has continuously promoted high-level scientific research and the commercialization of research outcomes, producing a series of landmark achievements with international impact. XAUAT has also initiated and established several international academic organizations, including the Silk Road International Alliance of Architectural and Technological Universities and the International Alliance for Architecture and Cities, while deepening substantive partnerships with leading universities worldwide. The establishment of the OshTU International School of Architecture overseas has further expanded the breadth and depth of the University’s international engagement.
The University has also advanced reforms in innovative talent cultivation, strengthened industry–university–research collaborative education, and significantly improved graduate employment outcomes and employer satisfaction. The latest QS ranking in Architecture and Built Environment highlights XAUAT’s steadily growing academic influence and international recognition, providing strong momentum for its pursuit of Double First-Class University status.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject is one of the most influential evaluation systems in global higher education. Its assessment framework is based on five key indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, H-index, and international research network. The 2026 rankings cover 55 individual subjects and evaluate more than 21,000 academic programs offered by over 1,900 universities worldwide, serving as an important reference for scholars, students, and institutions around the globe.
