The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has been ranked second best in Nigeria and 161st globally in the newly released 2026 Global Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR) conducted by Times Higher Education (THE).

The ISR is a prestigious component of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings ecosystem, which assesses how effectively universities integrate multiple scientific disciplines to address complex global challenges.

In the 2026 edition, 911 global universities were evaluated, making UNN’s performance both outstanding and inspiring.

According to THE, the Interdisciplinary Science Rankings measure institutional capacity across three key pillars: Inputs, Process and Output.

The input measures institutional support, infrastructure, and funding for interdisciplinary research; the process examines the structures and policies that encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration, while the output assesses research publications, citations, global reputation, and measurable scientific impact.

The ISR recognition comes just a few months after the Stanford-Elsevier Scientists Ranking listed 19 scholars from the University of Nigeria among the world’s top two per cent of scientists in 2025.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, described the latest ranking as a strong indication of the university’s renewed focus on transformative research and academic excellence.

“The THE ranking highlights our expanding capacity to produce research that draws from science, engineering, humanities, health sciences, environment, agriculture, and emerging technologies to address societal challenges,” he said.