New Hierarchy in the Global Knowledge Economy: Koç University Takes the Lead

The Times Higher Education (THE) 2026 world rankings have been released, identifying the key players in Turkey's transition to a knowledge economy; Koç University has ascended to the summit with a performance in the 301-350 band, while historic METU and Sabancı University share the runner-up spot in the 351-400 band.

Shifting Balance in Country Rankings

Considered one of the world's most respected higher education evaluations, the list of institutions from Turkey highlights the direct impact of educational quality on economic outputs.

■Koç University: Ranked first in Turkey in the 301-350 band.

■METU and Sabancı University: Shared the second rank in the 351-400 band.

■The total number of Turkish universities on the list was announced as 9.

Economic Outputs of Education

From a fiscal policy standpoint, these data provide serious signals regarding the efficiency of public higher education expenditures and the contribution of the private sector to R&D capacity. The presence of foundation universities like Koç and Sabancı at the top of the list indicates a structural advantage over state universities in terms of efficient resource utilization and corporate governance. However, to solve structural problems in the employment market, it is imperative that this success spreads across the entire country and that budget allocations to state universities translate into qualified human capital.