International projection, academic quality, and institutional recognition attest to the excellence of our University, distinctions that consolidate our global projection and compliance with the highest academic and professional standards.
1. International recognition and accreditation
WASC/WSCUC (2025–2031)
Our institution is the first in Spain and the
second in Europe to obtain WSCUC/WASC accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), one of the most prestigious
evaluation bodies in the United States. This achievement places the University
in a position of international leadership, as the first institution in the
European Union that, without being an “American University,” has
achieved this recognition.
CeQuInt (2023–2028)
The University has received the prestigious Certificate for Quality in
Internationalization (CeQuInt),
awarded by the European Consortium for Accreditation in Higher Education (ECA),
which highlights the internationalization strategy that the institution has
been promoting in recent years. This certificate, which is awarded for a period
of five years and is renewable after a new evaluation, highlights the
international and intercultural dimension that the University develops and
demonstrates the quality of its internationalization programs.
HRS4R – Seal of Excellence in Human Resources
Research
(since 2021)
The “HR Excellence in Research” seal, awarded by the European
Commission, publicly accredits universities and research centers that are
committed to aligning their human resources policies with the principles set
out in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct. The Seal
of Excellence in Human Resources for Researchers marks the culmination of the
initial phase of the “Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R)”
process for the University.
NAAB International Certification (since 2015, renewed in 2022 until
2028)
The Bachelor's Degree in Architecture
has been awarded the NAAB iCert, the seal of approval granted by this US
agency to programs outside its borders to validate that the curriculum is
equivalent to that of American universities. In other words, for students, this
has an immediate practical use: their degree functions as a professional
passport that enables them to practice in the United States without additional
studies, under the same conditions as any graduate of the most prestigious
American architecture schools.
World Federation for Medical Education (2025–2029)
The Bachelor's Degree in Medicine has
international accreditation from the World Federation for Medical
Education (WFME), which opens the doors to the job market in the United
States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, allowing students direct access to
the exams for medical specialization programs in these countries.
Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical
Therapy (positive
evaluation since 2022)
The Bachelor's Degree in Physical Therapy
is accredited by the US agency FCCPT (Foreign Credentialing Commission on
Physical Therapy), which allows direct access to the competency exam
required to practice the profession in the United States.
2. Positioning in international rankings
QS World University Rankings 2026
CEU Universities have recorded a remarkable improvement in the QS
European University Rankings, consolidating their academic progress and positioning both in Europe
and nationally. In this edition, which evaluates nearly 1,000 universities in
42 countries, CEU Universities have risen 65 positions from the previous
edition, ranking 420th in Europe and 96th in
Southern Europe.
QS Stars Rating (2025-2030)
CEU Universities have obtained 5 stars, the
maximum number of stars possible. This international seal endorses our
excellence in the nine categories audited: teaching, employability, global
engagement, facilities, strength of veterinary science program, social impact,
governance, academic development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025
CEU Universities have excelled in the Health
and Well-being category, expressing their firm commitment to the defense of
life. They have reached 118th place out of 1,788 universities that have applied
to be evaluated in this same category, while, at the national level, they have
achieved third place out of the 39 participating Spanish universities.
Ranking Best Universities in Spain 2025/2026
Our institution reaffirms its track record of
excellence in the field of knowledge generation. According to the latest update
of the Best Universities in Spain 2025/2026 ranking, compiled by the scientific
portal Research.com, the University has been recognized as the second best private university in
Spain in the area of research. This result also places it as the first private university in the
Community of Madrid with the greatest scientific impact, consolidating its
leadership in a highly competitive academic environment.
3. Recognition in national and reputational
rankings
El Mundo's Ranking of 50 Bachelor's Degrees and
250 Master's Degrees (2025)
The University appears with three outstanding
degrees: the
degree in Journalism, which rises from third to second place; the degree
in Physiotherapy, which once again enters this ranking and repeats in
third position; and the degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
Meanwhile, a total of 10 master's programs in the areas of Social
Sciences, Communication, Education, Health, and Urban Planning are in the top 5 in Spain. The special features highlight the
commitment to employability, internationalization, innovation, and digitization
as tools for training our students.
Merco Empresas 2025 and Merco Talento
Universitario 2024/2025
The institution ranks among the five most
reputable educational institutions in Spain and as one of the private
institutions with the greatest capacity to attract, train, and
retain young talent. It reaffirms its role as a university environment
where talent is not only discovered, but also nurtured, enhanced, and projected
into the future. The results of the study reveal a high level of overall
satisfaction (8.24 out of 10), above the average for private universities
as a whole (7.96). It stands out for its strong connection to the world of
work: ratings above 8 in most sections, well above the average for the
university system.
Forbes and Forbes University (2025)
The University ranks 5th, four places
higher than last year, in the list of ‘Top 10 private universities most
valued by companies’. The University stands out as one of the most
recognized private institutions in Spain and highlights our internationalization,
personalized teaching methodology, quality of faculty, and strong
connection to the professional world.
U-Ranking (2025)
The institution has been recognized as one of the universities with the
highest employment rate in Spain, according to the report prepared by the BBVA
Foundation and the Valencian Institute of Economic Research (IVIE). It ranks fourth
nationally in the employment rate index, significantly improving its
performance compared to previous years (seventh place in the last four years).
El Español (2025) and El
Confidencial (2025)
The University ranks 7th in El Español's ranking
of ‘Best Private Universities in Spain’; meanwhile, the Faculty of Law is once
again in the Top 10 of El Confidencial's ‘Universities and Law Firms’ ranking.