Stars Aligned: Wittenborg Receives Certificates from QS Stars Rating

24.06.2025

CEO Maggie Feng Represents School at QS Higher Ed Summit: Europe 2025

Wittenborg is now officially a QS Stars-rated higher education institution. From 16 to 17 June, CEO Maggie Feng attended the QS Higher Ed Summit: Europe 2025 in Porto, Portugal, where she received the QS Stars certificates on behalf of the school.

Wittenborg has been awarded the maximum 5-Star rating in two strategic areas: Employability and Good Governance. In addition, the institution received an overall 4-Star rating.

The QS Stars system, administered by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), evaluates higher education institutions worldwide through a comprehensive framework that goes beyond traditional rankings. Rather than comparing universities against one another, it assesses their strengths across a broad range of criteria, including teaching, employability, facilities, global engagement and governance.

Wittenborg began the evaluation process in 2024 as part of its broader strategy to strengthen quality assurance and enhance international recognition.

According to Feng, the recognition is highly positive and provides the school with even greater visibility. “It is yet another acknowledgement from an independent global organisation that evaluates universities. QS Stars is well known and trusted by agents, parents and students, so this is very important for us. However, it only reflects what we have achieved so far and will not stop us from continuing to improve and further develop our institution,” she said.

Held at the Vilar Oporto Hotel, the event brought together higher education professionals from 56 countries and featured a series of talks by speakers representing various institutions. Feng’s session, titled ‘Diversity as Strategy: Building Inclusive Institutions to Drive Global Competitiveness’, focused on Wittenborg’s approach and discussed why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) should be integrated into institutions’ internationalisation strategies, curricula, hiring policies and research agendas.

Wittenborg’s CEO noted that the session by QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter was particularly insightful, featuring a discussion on key challenges faced by Europe, such as an ageing population and the need to attract more international talent.

“Another highlight was the speech by QS Executive Director Selma Dröfn Toohey. She encouraged all of us, as higher education leaders, to use our collective voices to shape the three P’s: Policy, Perception and Projection. She also called on universities and business schools to communicate the value of international students, not only in terms of their contribution to society, but also their economic impact at both national and global levels. This aligns with Wittenborg’s purpose and philosophy,” Feng concluded.