Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The Glasgow School of Art ranked as world-leading places to study the arts

Announced today (Wednesday 25 March), The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) are in the global top ten of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, one of the most influential sources of comparative data about university performance.

RCS is seventh for Music and ninth for Performing Arts, while GSA is ranked eighth for Art and Design.

RCS has made the top ten a total of ten times since the Performing Arts ranking was introduced in 2016, and the GSA has been consistently ranked in the top 20 institutions internationally for 11 years, climbing into the top ten today for the first time since 2021.

Together, the neighbouring institutions in Glasgow’s Renfrew Street form a dynamic creative super-cluster in the heart of the city, strengthening Scotland’s standing as an international centre of artistic and educational excellence.

Their graduates, including Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Turner Prize winners and nominees, shape creative industries across the UK and internationally, driving a sector that contributes more than £5 billion to Scotland’s economy each year* and defining the nation’s cultural identity on the world stage.

The GSA’s graduates include eleven Turner Prize-winning contemporary artists, innovative architects and product designers, industry-leading and award-winning jewellery, textile and fashion designers.

The 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject provides independent comparative analysis on the performance of more than 18,300 individual university programmes, taken by students at more than 1700 universities in 100 locations around the world, across 55 disciplines.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “To be recognised in the global top ten for 2026, and for the tenth time since the QS World Rankings for Performing Arts were established, is a remarkable achievement that reflects the strength and quality of the learning and teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

“I’m also delighted to be sharing a top ten billing with our friends and neighbours at The Glasgow School of Art and congratulate Penny and the whole GSA community warmly for their recognition as world leading in Art and Design.

“It’s wonderful to have Scotland’s two small specialist institutions recognised and celebrated internationally for their global excellence in arts education. GSA and RCS have long shared a positive creative energy, which enriches both of our communities and our city, and reaches far beyond it.

“This is worthy of celebration and is a proud moment for Glasgow and Scotland. It is a testament to the students, staff and alumni who continue to push boundaries and drive the arts forward and to all who support us.”

Penny Macbeth, Director and Principal of The Glasgow School of Art, said: “Entering the world’s top ten is a significant achievement for The Glasgow School of Art and reflects the strength of our students, staff and global creative network community in the visual creative arts.

“It is particularly important that our neighbours at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are also ranked among the world’s best in their specialisms.

“Together, this highlights the extraordinary strength of Glasgow’s creative education ecosystem and the depth of creative talent being developed here. International recognition of our institutions reinforces Glasgow’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading creative cities and underlines the critical contribution our graduates make to the city’s cultural life.”

Founded in 1845, The Glasgow School of Art is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Their studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draws talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world.

The GSA has formed important international academic connections with fellow institutions including Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), the University of Central Asia (UCA), Hochschule der Medien (The Stuttgart Media University) and the University of Rwanda. The GSA was also honoured to receive the 2024 Ladislav Sutnar Award in The Czech Republic.

Highlights from the last year include the GSA securing significant investment as part of the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)’s 2025 Doctoral Focal Awards programme.

The GSA Silversmithing & Jewellery programme won the prestigious College Trophy award at Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards (GC&DC Awards), and Emelie Christina Fraser, a graduate from the Mackintosh School of Architecture’s (MSA) Stage 5 programme, was awarded the RIAS Rowand Anderson Silver Medal for Best 5th Year Student in Scotland. The annual GSA Degree Show, Glasgow’s largest public art exhibition, attracts 25,000 people to the city every year.

Established in 1847, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is one of only a few institutions worldwide to offer degree programmes across the full range of performing and production arts. The variety of artistic disciplines at RCS, and a vibrant global community of students from around 60 countries, cultivates creativity and collaboration, where students develop their craft in classical and traditional music, opera, jazz, musical theatre, acting, ballet, film, education and production arts, management and technology.

Highlights from the last year at RCS include accordionist Sofía Ros named BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician of the Year 2025 and pianist Ethan Loch and Composition lecturer David Fennessy recognised with Royal Philharmonic Society Award nominations. Global star and graduate James McAvoy returned to RCS to meet students, including recipients of the James McAvoy Drama Scholarship, offering personal insights into the industry.

RCS marked 75 years of stage and screen training by celebrating the actors, directors, filmmakers, designers, producers and creatives who continue to shape the arts. From Hollywood, Broadway and West End stars to leading figures in television, theatre and the creative industries, the institution has nurtured generations of artists whose work inspires audiences around the world.

RCS also bestowed honorary doctorates on a distinguished group of international artists – theatre visionary Bunny Christie, pop icon Lulu, jazz pioneer Wynton Marsalis, actor and alumnus Jack Lowden, and theatre director Philip Howard.