Once again, UIC Barcelona has been recognised for its academic excellence, high employability and international outlook – reflected in its numerous partnerships with international universities, the diverse backgrounds of its staff and students, and its strong emphasis on international research collaboration. Forbes invited the 89 universities registered with the Integrated University Information System (SIIU) to take part in this ranking by submitting relevant data from the 2023–2024 academic year through a questionnaire featuring over 50 indicators, divided into five key areas: Price and Accessibility (10%), Student Experience (30%), Career Readiness (30%), Quality of Teaching and Research (15%), and International Outlook (15%).

The evaluation criteria and methodology for the 2025 Forbes list of the top 20 Spanish universities were reviewed and analysed by an international panel of higher education experts, who took into account the particular features of the Spanish university system while also aligning with internationally recognised standards used by global evaluators such as the Shanghai Ranking, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Ranking and the European University Association.

In this edition, Forbes relied on data from the Barometer of University Employment and Employability, data from the Observatory of Employability and University Employment, and the Statistics and Indicators of the SIIU, as well data collected by the universities themselves through a questionnaire sent during the 2024-2025 academic year.