Operations Research in UK: 95 Best universities Ranked 2026

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Operations Research. A graph of 1.33M citations received by 43.6K academic papers made by 95 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

#5 in Europe

#30 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

2. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Operations Research

#7 in Europe

#34 in the World

Founded: 1824

3. University College London

England | London

For Operations Research

#9 in Europe

#41 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Operations Research

#13 in Europe

#61 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

5. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Operations Research

#15 in Europe

#74 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

6. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Operations Research

#16 in Europe

#75 in the World

Founded: 1948

7. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Operations Research

#17 in Europe

#76 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

8. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Operations Research

#18 in Europe

#79 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

9. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Operations Research

#21 in Europe

#90 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

10. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Operations Research

#22 in Europe

#91 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

11. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#23 in Europe

#94 in the World

Founded: 1964

12. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Operations Research

#24 in Europe

#95 in the World

Founded: 1904

13. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#35 in Europe

#127 in the World

Founded: 1900

14. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#40 in Europe

#144 in the World

Founded: 1997

15. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#45 in Europe

#159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

16. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Operations Research

#46 in Europe

#160 in the World

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

17. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Operations Research

#47 in Europe

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

18. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Operations Research

#56 in Europe

#179 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

19. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Operations Research

#60 in Europe

#190 in the World

Founded: 1963

20. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Operations Research

#61 in Europe

#191 in the World

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

21. University of York

England | York

For Operations Research

#65 in Europe

#199 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

22. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Operations Research

#66 in Europe

#204 in the World

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

23. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#67 in Europe

#205 in the World

Founded: 1895

24. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Operations Research

#71 in Europe

#212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

25. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Operations Research

#79 in Europe

#232 in the World

Founded: 1905

26. London Business School

England | London

For Operations Research

#83 in Europe

#246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

27. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Operations Research

#86 in Europe

#251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

28. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Operations Research

#89 in Europe

#257 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

29. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#95 in Europe

#275 in the World

Founded: 1451

30. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Operations Research

#99 in Europe

#294 in the World

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

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Operations Research

#102 in Europe

#303 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Operations Research

#104 in Europe

#314 in the World

Founded: 1967

33. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Operations Research

#112 in Europe

#345 in the World

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

34. King's College London

England | London

For Operations Research

#115 in Europe

#349 in the World

Founded: 1829

35. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Operations Research

#117 in Europe

#351 in the World

Founded: 1992

36. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#119 in Europe

#358 in the World

Founded: 1893

37. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Operations Research

#132 in Europe

#392 in the World

Founded: 1849

38. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Operations Research

#144 in Europe

#430 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

39. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Operations Research

#145 in Europe

#433 in the World

Founded: 1892

40. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#151 in Europe

#449 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

41. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Operations Research

#157 in Europe

#462 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

42. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Operations Research

#160 in Europe

#468 in the World

Founded: 1495

43. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Operations Research

#163 in Europe

#480 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

44. Durham University

England | Durham

For Operations Research

#176 in Europe

#508 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

45. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Operations Research

#182 in Europe

#532 in the World

Founded: 1920

46. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Operations Research

#183 in Europe

#537 in the World

Founded: 1968

47. University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#187 in Europe

#551 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

48. City, University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#196 in Europe

#574 in the World

Founded: 1966

49. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Operations Research

#198 in Europe

#579 in the World

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

50. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Operations Research

#199 in Europe

#582 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

51. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Operations Research

#213 in Europe

#613 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

52. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Operations Research

#216 in Europe

#618 in the World

Founded: 1964

53. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#218 in Europe

#621 in the World

Founded: 1966

54. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Operations Research

#223 in Europe

#632 in the World

Founded: 1954

55. University of Westminster

England | London

For Operations Research

#252 in Europe

#709 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

56. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Operations Research

#270 in Europe

#752 in the World

Founded: 1890

57. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Operations Research

#276 in Europe

#765 in the World

Founded: 1967

58. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Operations Research

#281 in Europe

#784 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

59. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Operations Research

#282 in Europe

#787 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

60. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Operations Research

#296 in Europe

#833 in the World

Founded: 1992

61. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Operations Research

#297 in Europe

#838 in the World

Founded: 1992

62. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Operations Research

#299 in Europe

#846 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

63. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Operations Research

#311 in Europe

#886 in the World

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

64. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Operations Research

#313 in Europe

#897 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

65. Cardiff Metropolitan University

Wales | Cardiff

For Operations Research

#320 in Europe

#915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 2011

66. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Operations Research

#321 in Europe

#916 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

67. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Operations Research

#323 in Europe

#918 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

68. Keele University

England | Keele

For Operations Research

#339 in Europe

#1004 in the World

Founded: 1962

69. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#345 in Europe

#1019 in the World

Founded: 1823

70. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Operations Research

#346 in Europe

#1020 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

71. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Operations Research

#353 in Europe

#1035 in the World

Founded: 1992

72. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Operations Research

#359 in Europe

#1045 in the World

Founded: 1992

73. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Operations Research

#361 in Europe

#1048 in the World

Founded: 1841

74. London South Bank University

England | London

For Operations Research

#367 in Europe

#1080 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

75. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Operations Research

#371 in Europe

#1087 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

76. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Operations Research

#394 in Europe

#1149 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

77. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Operations Research

#400 in Europe

#1165 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

78. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Operations Research

#412 in Europe

#1202 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Operations Research

#420 in Europe

#1236 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

80. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Operations Research

#430 in Europe

#1274 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

81. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Operations Research

#442 in Europe

#1342 in the World

Founded: 1848

82. Middlesex University

England | London

For Operations Research

#445 in Europe

#1358 in the World

Founded: 1973

83. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Operations Research

#447 in Europe

#1363 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

84. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Operations Research

#451 in Europe

#1388 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

85. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Operations Research

#465 in Europe

#1461 in the World

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

86. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Operations Research

#481 in Europe

#1526 in the World

Founded: 1992

87. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Operations Research

#491 in Europe

#1551 in the World

Founded: 1872

88. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Operations Research

#511 in Europe

#1622 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

89. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Operations Research

#513 in Europe

#1626 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

90. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Operations Research

#554 in Europe

#1822 in the World

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

91. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Operations Research

#559 in Europe

#1831 in the World

Founded: 1733

92. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Operations Research

#565 in Europe

#1858 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

93. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Operations Research

#567 in Europe

#1864 in the World

Founded: 1992

94. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Operations Research

#570 in Europe

#1869 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

95. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Operations Research

#606 in Europe

#2029 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

Mathematics subfields in the United Kingdom