Macao Polytechnic University’s Linguistics and Computer Science Disciplines Debut in QS World University Rankings by Subject
The latest 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, released by global higher education research institution QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), has placed Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) in two disciplines for the first time. Linguistics is ranked in the 301–350 band globally, while Computer Science and Information Systems is ranked in the 451–500 band. This achievement reflects MPU’s strong teaching and research performance, steady growth in academic excellence, and rising international recognition.
Rector Professor Marcus Im highlighted that MPU continues to advance high-quality development through excellence in education, research and innovation. Guided by its “AI+” strategy, MPU promotes synergistic innovation across key interdisciplinary areas, including machine translation, smart wellness and care, drug discovery, and sports technology, while accelerating the translation of research outcomes into practical applications. MPU has attracted globally leading scientists and highly cited scholars, further strengthening the academic team and advancing cutting-edge research. In line with the development of the Macao–Hengqin International Education (University) Town and the Hengqin campus, MPU continues to leverage its distinctive Sino-Lusophone characteristics to deepen international collaboration and support Macao’s role as a high-level gateway for educational openness.
Aligning with Macao’s strategic positioning as a “precise connector” between China and Lusophone countries, MPU has capitalised on its interdisciplinary strengths in linguistics and computer science to develop world-leading platforms, including a Chinese–Portuguese Neural Machine Translation Platform and a Chinese–Portuguese–English Speech Recognition Simultaneous Interpretation System. In 2019, the first Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre in Hong Kong and Macao was established at MPU. This has further promoted the application of related research outcomes in Macao and across Belt and Road countries, accelerating the transformation of technological innovation and generating significant socio-economic benefits.
MPU has made rapid progress in the field of computer science, standing as one of the few universities whose computing programmes across the full range of degree levels are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), widely regarded as the “gold standard” in engineering education. The University has established multiple national-level and international joint research platforms, providing strong support for high‑quality research and the cultivation of advanced talent. It has also launched the country’s first PhD programme in Applied Language Sciences, fostering top-tier interdisciplinary expertise. At the same time, MPU continues to expand comprehensive collaboration with universities in Lusophone countries in areas such as advanced technology, health sciences, and digital humanities, further reinforcing its role as a bridge for Sino-Lusophone academic exchange.
In recent years, MPU’s regional and global recognition and influence have continued to grow. The University has entered the QS World University Rankings for the first time, placing in the 901–950 band, and was ranked 402nd in the QS Asia University Rankings, while also being listed in the 301–400 band of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. In addition, MPU has received the QS Five Stars rating and the QS International Collaboration Performance Award, reflecting its strong institutional performance, expanding international engagement, and steadily rising academic reputation.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject is a globally recognised ranking system that evaluates universities based on indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, research output and international collaboration. The 2026 edition covers institutions from 166 countries and regions, demonstrating the breadth and authority of the rankings.