Operations Research in UK: 94 Best universities Ranked 2025

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Operations Research. A graph of 1.26M citations received by 43.4K academic papers made by 94 universities in the United Kingdom was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Imperial College London

England | London

For Operations Research

#4 in Europe

#29 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

2. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Operations Research

#6 in Europe

#32 in the World

Founded: 1824

3. University College London

England | London

For Operations Research

#8 in Europe

#39 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Operations Research

#13 in Europe

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

5. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Operations Research

#15 in Europe

#72 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

6. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Operations Research

#16 in Europe

#73 in the World

Founded: 1948

7. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Operations Research

#17 in Europe

#75 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

8. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Operations Research

#19 in Europe

#78 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

9. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Operations Research

#20 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

10. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Operations Research

#22 in Europe

#92 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

11. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#23 in Europe

#95 in the World

Founded: 1964

12. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Operations Research

#24 in Europe

#96 in the World

Founded: 1904

13. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#35 in Europe

#130 in the World

Founded: 1900

14. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#40 in Europe

#142 in the World

Founded: 1997

15. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#43 in Europe

#153 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

16. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Operations Research

#44 in Europe

#155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 9,218
Founded: 1895

17. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Operations Research

#48 in Europe

#164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

18. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Operations Research

#53 in Europe

#174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

19. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Operations Research

#57 in Europe

#184 in the World

Founded: 1963

20. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Operations Research

#59 in Europe

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 4,825
Founded: 1993

21. University of York

England | York

For Operations Research

#62 in Europe

#196 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

22. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#65 in Europe

#201 in the World

Founded: 1895

23. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Operations Research

#66 in Europe

#203 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

24. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Operations Research

#72 in Europe

#213 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

25. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Operations Research

#76 in Europe

#228 in the World

Founded: 1905

26. London Business School

England | London

For Operations Research

#81 in Europe

#239 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

27. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Operations Research

#86 in Europe

#253 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

28. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Operations Research

#87 in Europe

#254 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

29. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#96 in Europe

#284 in the World

Founded: 1451

30. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Operations Research

#97 in Europe

#286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Operations Research

#101 in Europe

#296 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Operations Research

#103 in Europe

#306 in the World

Founded: 1967

33. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#112 in Europe

#343 in the World

Founded: 1893

34. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Operations Research

#113 in Europe

#344 in the World

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

35. King's College London

England | London

For Operations Research

#116 in Europe

#352 in the World

Founded: 1829

36. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Operations Research

#119 in Europe

#367 in the World

Founded: 1992

37. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Operations Research

#128 in Europe

#392 in the World

Founded: 1849

38. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Operations Research

#144 in Europe

#427 in the World

Founded: 1892

39. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Operations Research

#145 in Europe

#428 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

40. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#152 in Europe

#445 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

41. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Operations Research

#156 in Europe

#453 in the World

Founded: 1495

42. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Operations Research

#163 in Europe

#477 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

43. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Operations Research

#172 in Europe

#495 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

44. Durham University

England | Durham

For Operations Research

#174 in Europe

#499 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

45. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Operations Research

#181 in Europe

#524 in the World

Founded: 1968

46. University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#182 in Europe

#530 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

47. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Operations Research

#183 in Europe

#531 in the World

Founded: 1920

48. City, University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#192 in Europe

#559 in the World

Founded: 1966

49. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Operations Research

#197 in Europe

#573 in the World

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

50. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Operations Research

#200 in Europe

#582 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

51. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Operations Research

#211 in Europe

#608 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

52. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Operations Research

#213 in Europe

#614 in the World

Founded: 1964

53. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#215 in Europe

#616 in the World

Founded: 1966

54. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Operations Research

#216 in Europe

#617 in the World

Founded: 1954

55. University of Westminster

England | London

For Operations Research

#246 in Europe

#697 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

56. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Operations Research

#267 in Europe

#740 in the World

Founded: 1890

57. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Operations Research

#269 in Europe

#746 in the World

Founded: 1967

58. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Operations Research

#280 in Europe

#782 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

59. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Operations Research

#281 in Europe

#783 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

60. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Operations Research

#291 in Europe

#821 in the World

Founded: 1992

61. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Operations Research

#295 in Europe

#829 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

62. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Operations Research

#298 in Europe

#841 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Operations Research

#311 in Europe

#876 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

64. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Operations Research

#312 in Europe

#879 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

65. Cardiff Metropolitan University

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#313 in Europe

#890 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Founded: 2011

66. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#320 in Europe

#908 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

67. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Operations Research

#323 in Europe

#915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

68. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#339 in Europe

#986 in the World

Founded: 1823

69. Keele University

England | Keele

For Operations Research

#343 in Europe

#1002 in the World

Founded: 1962

70. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Operations Research

#346 in Europe

#1009 in the World

Founded: 1841

71. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Operations Research

#348 in Europe

#1018 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

72. London South Bank University

England | London

For Operations Research

#358 in Europe

#1043 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

73. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Operations Research

#361 in Europe

#1052 in the World

Founded: 1992

74. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Operations Research

#366 in Europe

#1063 in the World

Founded: 1992

75. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Operations Research

#375 in Europe

#1092 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

76. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Operations Research

#396 in Europe

#1147 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

77. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Operations Research

#400 in Europe

#1161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

78. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Operations Research

#405 in Europe

#1178 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Operations Research

#413 in Europe

#1196 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

80. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Operations Research

#425 in Europe

#1250 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

81. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Operations Research

#433 in Europe

#1295 in the World

Founded: 1848

82. Middlesex University

England | London

For Operations Research

#445 in Europe

#1331 in the World

Founded: 1973

83. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#446 in Europe

#1338 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

84. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Operations Research

#449 in Europe

#1368 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

85. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Operations Research

#460 in Europe

#1432 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1992

86. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Operations Research

#482 in Europe

#1520 in the World

Founded: 1872

87. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Operations Research

#500 in Europe

#1588 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

88. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#512 in Europe

#1629 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Operations Research

#518 in Europe

#1650 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

90. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Operations Research

#552 in Europe

#1815 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 19,710
Founded: 1992

91. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Operations Research

#559 in Europe

#1841 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

92. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Operations Research

#563 in Europe

#1848 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

93. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Operations Research

#569 in Europe

#1874 in the World

Founded: 1992

94. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Operations Research

#605 in Europe

#2015 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

Mathematics subfields in the United Kingdom