As of 2026, University of Glasgow is the most compassionate university (62.5/100, Established) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University the least (22.7/100, Developing) on the Compassion Benchmark Universities Index, which scores 100 universities across 8 dimensions.
Universities Compassion Benchmark · 2026
Universities Compassion Benchmark Index 2026
Benchmark of 100 leading universities across welfare governance, transparency, accountability, equity access, and institutional integrity.
100Universities ranked
46.2Mean score
46.9Median score
8Dimensions
2026Publication year
Band distribution
This is not a prestige ranking. Where US News, QS, and Times Higher Education measure research output and reputation, the Compassion Benchmark measures how a university treats the people inside it — students and staff — across welfare governance, equity of access, accountability, and institutional integrity. A famous university can rank low here; a less prestigious one can rank high.
Most and least compassionate
Top 5 and bottom 5 entities in the Universities by composite score, with position relative to the field median.
Most and least compassionate — Universities
Most compassionate
Least compassionate
Source: Compassion Benchmark · CC-BY
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Citation
Compassion Benchmark — Most and least compassionate — Universities. compassionbenchmark.com/universities. CC-BY 4.0.
By Type: mean composite breakdown
Mean composite by Type — Universities
Ranked highest to lowest. Reference line at index mean (46.2).
Source: Compassion Benchmark · CC-BY
Cite this chart
Citation
Compassion Benchmark — Mean composite by Type — Universities. compassionbenchmark.com/universities. CC-BY 4.0.
Full rankings
Search, filter by type, and sort the complete Universities benchmark index.
AWR Awareness ·EMP Empathy ·ACT Action ·EQU Equity ·BND Boundaries ·ACC Accountability ·SYS Systems ·INT Integrity
How to read the scores
The 0–100 scale — five bands
Every entity — state, corporation, AI lab, robotics lab, or city — is scored 0–100 across 8 dimensions and 40 subdimensions. The composite score places the entity in one of five bands:
Critical0–20Foundational compassion practices are absent or documented active harm is present.
Developing20–40Some practices are emerging but remain inconsistent, reactive, or unevenly applied.
Functional40–60Core practices exist and meet a basic bar, with significant gaps remaining.
Established60–80Practices are systematic, documented, and supported by consistent evidence.
Exemplary80–100Practices are independently verified, consistent, and sustained under pressure.
The 8 dimensions
Each dimension is scored 1–5 across 5 subdimensions (40 subdimensions total), then converted to a 0–100 composite. A score of 1.0 on a subdimension represents the minimum anchor; 5.0 is exemplary conduct.
AWRAwarenessDoes this entity reliably detect when others are in pain or need — before they name it?
EMPEmpathyDoes this entity genuinely connect with the inner experience of those it serves?
ACTActionDoes compassionate understanding translate into real, proportional, effective help?
EQUEquityIs care distributed fairly — especially toward those with greatest need and least power?
BNDBoundariesIs helping sustainable, ethical, and autonomy-preserving — not dependency-creating?
ACCAccountabilityDoes this entity own its failures, correct course, and make genuine repair?
SYSSystemic ThinkingDoes compassion extend to root causes and structural change — not only symptom relief?
INTIntegrityIs compassion genuine, consistent, and non-performative — especially when it costs something?
Scores are based on public evidence — government reports, regulatory filings, independent audits, judicial findings, and verifiable third-party records. Entities never pay for inclusion, score changes, or suppression of findings. Full methodology
| Rank | University | Type | Country | AWR | EMP | ACT | EQU | BND | ACC | SYS | INT | Score | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Glasgow | public | United Kingdom | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 4 | 2.75 | 3.75 | 4 | 3.5 | 62.5 | established |
| 2 | Brown University | private | United States | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 60.2 | established |
| 3 | University of California, Irvine | public | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 4.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 60.2 | established |
| 4 | Utrecht University | public | Netherlands | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.5 | 59.4 | functional |
| 5 | Princeton University | private | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 57.8 | functional |
| 6 | Georgia Institute of Technology | public | United States | 3.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 57 | functional |
| 7 | Lund University | public | Sweden | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 57 | functional |
| 8 | University of Toronto | public | Canada | 3.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 57 | functional |
| 9 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | private | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 56.3 | functional |
| 10 | University of California, Berkeley | public | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 4 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 55.5 | functional |
| 11 | Yale University | private | United States | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 4 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 55.5 | functional |
| 12 | Cornell University | private | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 54.7 | functional |
| 13 | Stanford University | private | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 54.7 | functional |
| 14 | University of California, San Francisco | public | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 54.7 | functional |
| 15 | University College London | public | United Kingdom | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3 | 53.9 | functional |
| 16 | University of Cambridge | public | United Kingdom | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 53.1 | functional |
| 17 | University of Oxford | public | United Kingdom | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 53.1 | functional |
| 18 | ETH Zurich | public | Switzerland | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 52.3 | functional |
| 19 | Harvard University | private | United States | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 52.3 | functional |
| 20 | KTH Royal Institute of Technology | public | Sweden | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 52.3 | functional |
| 21 | Purdue University | public | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 52.3 | functional |
| 22 | Université Paris Cité | public | France | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 52.3 | functional |
| 23 | University of Bonn | public | Germany | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 52.3 | functional |
| 24 | Uppsala University | public | Sweden | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 52.3 | functional |
| 25 | Johns Hopkins University | private | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 51.6 | functional |
| 26 | National University of Singapore | public | Singapore | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 51.6 | functional |
| 27 | University of Pennsylvania | private | United States | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 51.6 | functional |
| 28 | UT Southwestern Medical Center | public | United States | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 51.6 | functional |
| 29 | Duke University | private | United States | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 50.8 | functional |
| 30 | University of British Columbia | public | Canada | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 50.8 | functional |
| 31 | University of Maryland, College Park | public | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 50.8 | functional |
| 32 | Vanderbilt University | private | United States | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 50.8 | functional |
| 33 | Washington University in St. Louis | private | United States | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 50.8 | functional |
| 34 | Boston University | private | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 50 | functional |
| 35 | University of Geneva | public | Switzerland | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 50 | functional |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | public | United States | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 50 | functional |
| 37 | University of Zurich | public | Switzerland | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 50 | functional |
| 38 | California Institute of Technology | private | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 49.2 | functional |
| 39 | Carnegie Mellon University | private | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 49.2 | functional |
| 40 | University of California, Santa Barbara | public | United States | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 49.2 | functional |
| 41 | University of Chicago | private | United States | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 49.2 | functional |
| 42 | EPFL | public | Switzerland | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 48.4 | functional |
| 43 | Paris-Saclay University | public | France | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 48.4 | functional |
| 44 | University of Groningen | public | Netherlands | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 48.4 | functional |
| 45 | University of Minnesota | public | United States | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 48.4 | functional |
| 46 | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | public | Hong Kong | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 47.7 | functional |
| 47 | Rockefeller University | private | United States | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 47.7 | functional |
| 48 | KU Leuven | public | Belgium | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 46.9 | functional |
| 49 | London School of Economics and Political Science | public | United Kingdom | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 46.9 | functional |
| 50 | University of Amsterdam | public | Netherlands | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 46.9 | functional |
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| 51 | University of Copenhagen | public | Denmark | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 46.9 | functional |
| 52 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | public | United States | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 46.9 | functional |
| 53 | Heidelberg University | public | Germany | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 45.3 | functional |
| 54 | Karolinska Institute | public | Sweden | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 3 | 2.5 | 45.3 | functional |
| 55 | Nanyang Technological University | public | Singapore | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 45.3 | functional |
| 56 | Sorbonne University | public | France | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 45.3 | functional |
| 57 | University of California, Los Angeles | public | United States | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.25 | 3 | 2.5 | 45.3 | functional |
| 58 | University of California, San Diego | public | United States | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 45.3 | functional |
| 59 | University of Michigan | public | United States | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.25 | 45.3 | functional |
| 60 | University of Washington | public | United States | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 45.3 | functional |
| 61 | Columbia University | private | United States | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 44.5 | functional |
| 62 | Technical University of Munich | public | Germany | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 44.5 | functional |
| 63 | University of Manchester | public | United Kingdom | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 44.5 | functional |
| 64 | University of Sydney | public | Australia | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 44.5 | functional |
| 65 | Monash University | public | Australia | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 43.8 | functional |
| 66 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | public | United States | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 43.8 | functional |
| 67 | University of Queensland | public | Australia | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 43.8 | functional |
| 68 | UNSW Sydney | public | Australia | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 43.8 | functional |
| 69 | McGill University | public | Canada | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 43 | functional |
| 70 | University of Birmingham | public | United Kingdom | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 43 | functional |
| 71 | Imperial College London | public | United Kingdom | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.25 | 42.2 | functional |
| 72 | Northwestern University | private | United States | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 42.2 | functional |
| 73 | Peking University | public | China | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 42.2 | functional |
| 74 | Tsinghua University | public | China | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 42.2 | functional |
| 75 | Chinese University of Hong Kong | public | Hong Kong | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 41.4 | functional |
| 76 | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | public | Hong Kong | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 41.4 | functional |
| 77 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris | public | France | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 41.4 | functional |
| 78 | Delft University of Technology | public | Netherlands | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 40.6 | functional |
| 79 | University of Malaya | public | Malaysia | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 40.6 | functional |
| 80 | Australian National University | public | Australia | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 39.8 | developing |
| 81 | Kyoto University | public | Japan | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 39.8 | developing |
| 82 | LMU Munich | public | Germany | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 39.8 | developing |
| 83 | Seoul National University | public | South Korea | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 39.8 | developing |
| 84 | University of Melbourne | public | Australia | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 39.8 | developing |
| 85 | New York University | private | United States | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 39.1 | developing |
| 86 | PSL University | public | France | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 38.3 | developing |
| 87 | University of Tokyo | public | Japan | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 38.3 | developing |
| 88 | Yonsei University | private | South Korea | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 38.3 | developing |
| 89 | City University of Hong Kong | public | Hong Kong | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 | 37.5 | developing |
| 90 | University of Texas at Austin | public | United States | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 37.5 | developing |
| 91 | University of Southern California | private | United States | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 2 | 36.7 | developing |
| 92 | King's College London | public | United Kingdom | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 35.9 | developing |
| 93 | University of Bristol | public | United Kingdom | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 35.9 | developing |
| 94 | University of Edinburgh | public | United Kingdom | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 34.4 | developing |
| 95 | Nanjing University | public | China | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 29.7 | developing |
| 96 | University of Hong Kong | public | Hong Kong | 2.5 | 2 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 29.7 | developing |
| 97 | University of Science and Technology of China | public | China | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 29.7 | developing |
| 98 | Fudan University | public | China | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2 | 28.1 | developing |
| 99 | Zhejiang University | public | China | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2 | 28.1 | developing |
| 100 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | public | China | 2 | 1.75 | 2 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2 | 1.75 | 22.7 | developing |
Showing 100 of 100 entities
Universities Compassion Benchmark Index 2026 — Complete Rankings
| Rank | University | Composite Score | Band | AWR | EMP | ACT | EQU | BND | ACC | SYS | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Glasgow | 62.5 | established | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 4 | 2.75 | 3.75 | 4 | 3.5 |
| 2 | Brown University | 60.2 | established | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3.25 |
| 3 | University of California, Irvine | 60.2 | established | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 4.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 3.5 |
| 4 | Utrecht University | 59.4 | functional | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3.5 |
| 5 | Princeton University | 57.8 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 6 | Georgia Institute of Technology | 57 | functional | 3.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| 7 | Lund University | 57 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| 8 | University of Toronto | 57 | functional | 3.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 |
| 9 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 56.3 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 10 | University of California, Berkeley | 55.5 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 4 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 |
| 11 | Yale University | 55.5 | functional | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 4 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 12 | Cornell University | 54.7 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 13 | Stanford University | 54.7 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 14 | University of California, San Francisco | 54.7 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| 15 | University College London | 53.9 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 16 | University of Cambridge | 53.1 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 17 | University of Oxford | 53.1 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 18 | ETH Zurich | 52.3 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 |
| 19 | Harvard University | 52.3 | functional | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 20 | KTH Royal Institute of Technology | 52.3 | functional | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 21 | Purdue University | 52.3 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 3.25 |
| 22 | Université Paris Cité | 52.3 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 23 | University of Bonn | 52.3 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 24 | Uppsala University | 52.3 | functional | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 |
| 25 | Johns Hopkins University | 51.6 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 26 | National University of Singapore | 51.6 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 |
| 27 | University of Pennsylvania | 51.6 | functional | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 28 | UT Southwestern Medical Center | 51.6 | functional | 3.5 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 29 | Duke University | 50.8 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 30 | University of British Columbia | 50.8 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 |
| 31 | University of Maryland, College Park | 50.8 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 32 | Vanderbilt University | 50.8 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 33 | Washington University in St. Louis | 50.8 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 34 | Boston University | 50 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 35 | University of Geneva | 50 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | 50 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 37 | University of Zurich | 50 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 |
| 38 | California Institute of Technology | 49.2 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 39 | Carnegie Mellon University | 49.2 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 40 | University of California, Santa Barbara | 49.2 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 41 | University of Chicago | 49.2 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 42 | EPFL | 48.4 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 |
| 43 | Paris-Saclay University | 48.4 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 44 | University of Groningen | 48.4 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 45 | University of Minnesota | 48.4 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 46 | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | 47.7 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 |
| 47 | Rockefeller University | 47.7 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 |
| 48 | KU Leuven | 46.9 | functional | 3.25 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 49 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 46.9 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 |
| 50 | University of Amsterdam | 46.9 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 51 | University of Copenhagen | 46.9 | functional | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 52 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 46.9 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 53 | Heidelberg University | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 |
| 54 | Karolinska Institute | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 55 | Nanyang Technological University | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 |
| 56 | Sorbonne University | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 |
| 57 | University of California, Los Angeles | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.25 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 58 | University of California, San Diego | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 59 | University of Michigan | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.25 |
| 60 | University of Washington | 45.3 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 61 | Columbia University | 44.5 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| 62 | Technical University of Munich | 44.5 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| 63 | University of Manchester | 44.5 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 64 | University of Sydney | 44.5 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 65 | Monash University | 43.8 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 66 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 43.8 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 67 | University of Queensland | 43.8 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 68 | UNSW Sydney | 43.8 | functional | 3 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 69 | McGill University | 43 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 70 | University of Birmingham | 43 | functional | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 71 | Imperial College London | 42.2 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.25 |
| 72 | Northwestern University | 42.2 | functional | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 73 | Peking University | 42.2 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 74 | Tsinghua University | 42.2 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 75 | Chinese University of Hong Kong | 41.4 | functional | 3.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| 76 | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | 41.4 | functional | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.5 |
| 77 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris | 41.4 | functional | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 78 | Delft University of Technology | 40.6 | functional | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| 79 | University of Malaya | 40.6 | functional | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 |
| 80 | Australian National University | 39.8 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| 81 | Kyoto University | 39.8 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 |
| 82 | LMU Munich | 39.8 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 83 | Seoul National University | 39.8 | developing | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 84 | University of Melbourne | 39.8 | developing | 3 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| 85 | New York University | 39.1 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.25 |
| 86 | PSL University | 38.3 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 87 | University of Tokyo | 38.3 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 88 | Yonsei University | 38.3 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 89 | City University of Hong Kong | 37.5 | developing | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 |
| 90 | University of Texas at Austin | 37.5 | developing | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| 91 | University of Southern California | 36.7 | developing | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 92 | King's College London | 35.9 | developing | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.25 |
| 93 | University of Bristol | 35.9 | developing | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.25 |
| 94 | University of Edinburgh | 34.4 | developing | 2.75 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 95 | Nanjing University | 29.7 | developing | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| 96 | University of Hong Kong | 29.7 | developing | 2.5 | 2 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 |
| 97 | University of Science and Technology of China | 29.7 | developing | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| 98 | Fudan University | 28.1 | developing | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2 |
| 99 | Zhejiang University | 28.1 | developing | 2.25 | 2 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2 | 2 | 2.25 | 2 |
| 100 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 22.7 | developing | 2 | 1.75 | 2 | 2.25 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2 | 1.75 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most compassionate university in 2026?
As of 2026, University of Glasgow is the most compassionate university on the Compassion Benchmark, with a composite score of 62.5/100 (Established).
What is the least compassionate university in 2026?
As of 2026, Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranks last in the Compassion Benchmark Universities Index, with a composite score of 22.7/100 (Developing).
Is this the same as the US News, QS, or Times Higher Education rankings?
No. US News, QS, and Times Higher Education rank universities on prestige, research output, and reputation. The Compassion Benchmark Universities Index measures something different: how an institution treats students and staff — welfare governance, equity of access, accountability, and integrity — scored across 8 dimensions of institutional compassion. A highly prestigious university can still score low here, and vice versa.
How many universities are scored?
The Compassion Benchmark Universities Index scores 100 leading universities across 8 dimensions of institutional compassion.
How is the compassion score calculated?
The score is a composite across 8 dimensions (Awareness, Empathy, Action, Equity, Boundaries, Accountability, Systemic Impact, and Integrity), each scored 0–5 from behavioral evidence, then converted to a 0–100 scale with an integration premium for balanced profiles. See compassionbenchmark.com/methodology for the full framework.