Five subject areas were placed in the world’s top 1%, and an additional four earned top 2% honors in the 2026 , released on January 21.

Education led the way, ranked in the No. 101–125 tier, followed by physical sciences at No. 126–150, arts and humanities at No. 151–175, and law and life sciences each at No. 201–250. To qualify in the world’s top 1%, rankings must be within the top 250 in the world () UH Mānoa was ranked in all 11 of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject lists.

“We are proud that UH Mānoa continues to be recognized globally, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence, research and the student experience,” UH Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos said. “These rankings underscore the hard work and dedication of our faculty, students and staff, who make UH Mānoa a truly exceptional place.”

All UH Mānoa rankings:

• Education studies: No. 101–125
• Physical sciences: No. 126–150
• Arts and humanities: No. 151–175
• Law: No. 201–250
• Life sciences: No. 201–250
• Social sciences: No. 251–300
• Medical and health: No. 301–400
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Computer science: No. 501–600
• Engineering: No. 501–600

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 425–1,555 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

UH Mānoa also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, January 4, 2026
• 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 9, 2025
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, October 2, 2025
• U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges rankings, September 23, 2025

For more information, .

For the Racoma family, the ’s December commencement holds special significance because of who will be sharing the stage–Tanya Hōkūlani Racoma and her firstborn, son Brendan Isaiah ʻOnipaʻa Racoma.

Hōkū, as she is known, is a mother of three—ages 23, 16 and 13. She took a nearly two decades-long break from college to focus on raising her family.

“My biggest reason for coming back to school and completing my bachelor’s degree was to teach my kids when you start something, to always finish it,” said Hōkū, 43, a professional songwriter. “It was always a dream of mine.”

Hōkū and Brendan, of Waipahu, are among nearly 190 students participating in . Hōkū will graduate with honors, earning a bachelor of arts in humanities with a concentration in English and a certificate in music. Brendan will receive a bachelor of arts in public administration with a concentration in disaster preparedness and emergency management.

Hōkū and Brendan’s shared success resulted from similar paths (although different timelines)—both transferred to UH West Oʻahu after each attended two UH Community Colleges, and each earned two associate degrees and various certificates.

“We didn’t plan it,” Hōkū said and smiled. “It just happened like that.”

Brendan, like his mother, feels a strong sense of achievement as graduation nears. For him, navigating college life with work, as well as other obligations and responsibilities, came with inevitable challenges.

“Truthfully, in my point of view, it wasn’t easy,” Brendan said. “But it was really all worthwhile. And having mom with me is like an added bonus.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Column by Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by on February 27, 2025.

This month we’re going to give the Humanities—specifically the visual arts—a little love.

“Our campus has a number of significant and meaningful public art works, created by a variety of visual artists,” explains Humanities Department Chair and Visual Arts Program Coordinator Michael Takemoto. “I encourage our students, staff, and visitors to experience them in person.” And so do I. Art is as good for the soul as it is for the senses.

Our campus centerpiece is surely the mural “Makahiki” that stretches across the Great Lawn-facing wall of the Kaʻaʻike Building. Completed 10 years ago, the work was conceived by art student Sammy “Kammy” Kaiwi, and painted by him together with many fellow art students and supervised by Michael Takemoto.

It depicts the makahiki season, the four months of the year when, in ancient �鶹��ý, work gave way to leisure and the land was allowed to rest. Other tales of old �鶹��ý are also depicted. So, while the impact of the whole is undeniable, it’s worth spending some time exploring the details.

Head towards Kaʻahumanu Avenue to “A Path through the Trees,” a stunning bronze sculpture by the internationally renowned artist Saturo Abe who, sadly, passed away earlier this month at the age of 98. Installed on our campus in 2009, the work was commissioned by the Art in Public Places Program of the �鶹��ý State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). It was Abe’s last commissioned work and the largest sculpture he ever made.

According to an article in First Friday �鶹��ý in November 2009, “this work represents a group of five trees surrounding an abstract geographical representation of Maui, with a pair of abstract ‘islands’ that represent Haleakalā and the West Maui Mountains. As one passes through, one is reminded of the metaphor that Maui Community College plays in both the Maui community and in the students’ journey.”

At the edge of the Great Lawn outside the Pilina Building, “Dolphin” has been leaping skyward since 1987. It was crafted by Welding Instructor John Ringen and three of his students.

Celebrated Maui sculptor Bruce Turnbull is represented by two pieces. The sleek bronze “Wind and Sea” was commissioned by the SFCA in 1992. Installed in a patch of ferns between the Welding Shop and the Pilina Building, it is an abstract interpretation of a wave and sails.

“Kūlapa Kai—To Frolic in the Ocean” is the enchanting mother monk seal and her pup that rest between the Ka Lama and Noiʻi Buildings. It was sculpted by Turnbull and collaborator Kim Mosley from a single piece of New Zealand marble. The work was a gift in 2014 from Jim and Mary Hirshfield. The couple had honeymooned on Maui decades earlier and wanted to “return some of the joy” they had received.

Outside the ʻIke Leʻa Building, another sculpture commissioned by the SFCA pays tribute to Maui Nui. Sean K. L. Browne’s abstract “Na Moku ʻEkolu (Three Islands)” is cast and welded silicon bronze and was installed in 1985.

If you have circumnavigated our campus, you will have undoubtedly encountered ceramic cylinders stacked on poles. There are eight of them, most around the Heona and Ka Lama Buildings. They are the work of former students under the tutelage of one of Maui’s premier ceramicists, Jennifer Owen, who taught at our college for many years.

“The students knew that the poles would be on display for the indefinite future so they really poured themselves into the effort, devoting serious thought to the theme for their particular component, and also to the execution in terms of relief sculpture, drawing, color scheme, piercing, and/or glazing,” she remembers. “I was thrilled to see what each student came up with. I also enjoyed designing each pole, deciding on the placement of each to show it off to its best advantage. I imagine the students coming back to visit campus and taking pride in their contributions to our beautiful campus.”

So, the next time you find yourself in Kahului with even just a few minutes of spare time, please come and take a stroll and feast your eyes on the beautiful art on display on our campus. Your heart and your soul will thank you.

For complete information about UH Maui College, please visit .

Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is Chancellor of the University of �鶹��ý Maui College. Ka’ana Mana’o, which means “sharing thoughts,” is scheduled to appear on the fourth Thursday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.

The earned impressive recognition in the 2025 , released on January 22. Ten academic disciplines at UH ����ԴDz� achieved high rankings, including top 200 world status in education, arts and humanities, and physical sciences. These rankings are among the most recognized global assessments of academic and research excellence.

Among , four out of the 10 ranked UH ����ԴDz� subjects placed in the world’s top 1% (within top 250 in the world), while the others placed in the world’s top 2–4% (between top 251–1,000).

UH ����ԴDz� subjects’ world ranking:

• Education studies: No. 126–150
• Physical sciences: No. 126–150
• Arts and humanities: No. 176–200
• Life sciences: No. 201–250
• Social sciences: No. 251–300
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Medical and health: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Engineering: No. 501–600
• Computer science: No. 601–800

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 654–1,488 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 8, 2024
• U.S. News and World Report 2025 Best Colleges rankings, September 24, 2024
• Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, September 10, 2024

For more information, .

A visit to the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� from the (NEH) strengthened the connection between the two institutions, and potentially helped to spark additional support and resources to UH ����ԴDz� in the field of humanities.

The UH ����ԴDz� hosted the NEH delegation from Washington, D.C. NEH is an independent federal agency dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. The delegation was led by NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), NEH Senior Deputy Chair Anthony Mitchell and NEH Chief of Staff Kelsey Coates.

The visit on April 25 began with a meeting with Dean Peter Arnade to discuss UH ����ԴDz�’s strength in humanities, highlight the work of UH ����ԴDz�’s faculty and students, and learn about NEH’s mission and strategic goals. Arnade previously received NEH funding, which helped change the course of his career.

“The visit from NEH Chair Lowe underscored the breadth of talent among our faculty in the
Humanities and our unique scholarly attributes,” Arnade said. “It placed a spotlight on the excellence of our faculty’s research and opened the door to more NEH funding opportunities.”

The NEH delegation also met with UH ����ԴDz� faculty who received NEH funding, and learned about the lasting impact of their projects.

They toured the , housed in UH ����ԴDz�’s Hamilton Library. The delegation conducted a faculty forum for UH faculty, staff and students, and representatives from the Hawaii Council for the Humanities. They were treated to a poetry reading by Associate Professor Brandy Nālani McDougall, who is the �鶹��ý state poet laureate. Lowe then showcased NEH’s work to increase access to the humanities for every American across the nation. Finally, the group received tours of the and the .

The placed in the nation’s top 20 in eight subjects, the best performance by UH’s flagship institution in the .

Released April 10, QS’s 2024 version of the rankings listed UH ����ԴDz� among the nation’s best in the following categories:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 22 world
• Hospitality and leisure management: No. 15 U.S., No. 46 world
• Anthropology: No. 19 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Modern languages: No. 19 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Geophysics: No. 20 U.S., No. 47 world
• Geology: No. 20 U.S., No. 49 world
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 world
• Geography: No. 20 U.S., No. 101–150 world

“These rankings are a testament to the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of our entire staff,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “To the communities that we serve, they affirm that this university represents the very best in scholarship and education. And to our prospective students and their families, the rankings are a strong endorsement of the quality and value of an education from UH ����ԴDz�.”

UH ����ԴDz� also placed in the nation’s top 50 in nine additional subjects:

• English language and literature: No. 30 U.S., No. 101–150 world
• Archaeology: No. 30 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Agriculture and forestry: No. 34 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Physics and astronomy: No. 39 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Sociology: No. 42 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Politics: No. 44 U.S., No. 201–250 world
• Communication and media studies: No. 46 U.S., No. 151–200 world
• Arts and humanities: No. 47 U.S., No. 210 world
• Environmental sciences: No. 49 U.S., No. 251–300 world

UH ����ԴDz� was ranked in four broad subject areas and 24 narrow subject areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject are calculated using five criteria: academic reputation (survey responses from academics), employer reputation (survey responses from graduate employers worldwide), research citations per paper (citations data sourced from Elsevier Scopus), H-index (measures most cited papers and the number of citations) and international research network (reflects ability to diversify the geography of their international research network).

The 2024 edition of the rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds analyzed the performance of more than 16,400 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world.

Recent rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 9, 2024
• QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, December 11, 2023
• 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, October 29, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

The is highly ranked in a variety of subject areas, according to two of the premier comprehensive subject rankings in the world.

The placed No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 17 in the world, the ranked No. 10 in the U.S. and No. 13 in the world and the placed No. 18 in the U.S. and No. 49 in the world, according to the (GRAS) released by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. The oceanography and atmospheric sciences departments are out of the , and the TIM school is housed in the .

In total, 14 subjects placed in the top 1% in the world (top 250 out of more than 25,000 colleges and universities worldwide) in both the and the GRAS.

“These rankings affirm our university’s commitment to excellence across a wide range of disciplines,” UH ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno said. “Our world-class faculty are working hard to prepare our students to be the creative and innovative leaders who will transform our islands and the world.”

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects

Fourteen UH ����ԴDz� subjects were ranked by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, including four in the world’s top 100 and 11 in the nation’s top 70. GRAS, released on October 27, is considered one of the most comprehensive and objective rankings of world universities by subjects.

UH ����ԴDz� was one of more than 1,900 universities in 104 countries and regions selected for the GRAS rankings, out of more than 25,000 total colleges and universities around the world. The criteria include research output, research influence, international collaboration, research quality and international academic awards.

UH ����ԴDz�’s rankings:

• Atmospheric science: No. 13 worldwide, No. 10 U.S.
• Oceanography: No. 17 worldwide, No. 7 U.S.
• Hospitality and tourism management: No. 49 worldwide, No. 18 U.S.
• : No. 51–75 worldwide, No. 19–30 U.S.
• : No. 101–150 worldwide, No. 47–62 U.S.
• : No. 101–150 worldwide, No. 47–63 U.S.
• : No. 101–150 worldwide, No. 68–84 U.S.
• Ecology: No. 151–200 worldwide, No. 43–60 U.S.
• : No. 151–200 worldwide, No. 72–87 U.S.
• : No. 201–300 worldwide, No. 43–69 U.S.
• : No. 201–300 worldwide, No. 49–66 U.S.
• and : No. 201–300 worldwide, No. 53–67 U.S.
• : No. 201–300 worldwide, No. 88–114 U.S.
• : No. 401–500 worldwide, No. 56–63 U.S.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, released on October 26, five out of the 10 ranked UH ����ԴDz� subjects placed in the world’s top 1% (within top 250 in the world), while four others placed in the world’s top 2% (within top 500).

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, industry income and patents. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 621–1,374 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 25,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

UH ����ԴDz� world rankings:

• Education: No. 126–150
• : No. 126–150
• : No. 176–200
• : No. 176–200
• : No. 201–250
• and : No. 301–400
• : No. 301–400
• Clinical and health: No. 301–400
• Engineering: No. 401–500
• : No. 501–600

Other rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings: UH ����ԴDz� placed No. 57 in the U.S. and in the No. 201–250 tier worldwide, September 27, 2023
• 2024 QS World University Rankings: UH ����ԴDz� placed No. 66 in the U.S. and No. 386 in the world, June 27, 2023
• Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings: UH ����ԴDz� came in at No. 137 in the U.S. and No. 505 in the world, May 15, 2023
• 2023–24 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 24, 2023

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki

More than 25 subject areas earned international honors, including a top 10 national performance by the , according to the .

UH ����ԴDz� placed in the nation’s top 20 and the world’s top 100 in five narrow subject areas:

• Linguistics: No. 10 U.S., No. 19 worldwide
• Anthropology: No. 18 U.S., No. 51–100 worldwide
• Geophysics: No. 19 U.S., No. 44 worldwide
• Geology: No. 19 U.S., No. 44 worldwide
• Earth and marine sciences: No. 20 U.S., No. 51–100 worldwide

In addition, UH’s flagship campus ranked in 17 other narrow subject areas, all in the nation’s top 100.

UH ����ԴDz� also received the following broad subject area rankings: arts and humanities (No. 33 U.S., No. 125 worldwide), (No. 50 U.S., No. 225 worldwide), and (No. 71 U.S., No. 393 worldwide), and and (No. 100 U.S., No. 400 worldwide).

UK-based QS is considered one of the most highly regarded ranking entities in higher education. QS selected 1,594 institutions to evaluate out of for its 2023 World University Rankings by Subject using the following factors: academic and employer reputation, research citations per paper, international research network and the h-index, which measures the productivity and impact of an academic researcher or department.

International recognition

These rankings are the latest in a series of high marks from QS. In QS’s latest World University Rankings released in June 2023, UH ����ԴDz� placed No. 66 nationally and No. 386 out of more than 25,000 colleges and universities worldwide (or the top 2%).

Recent rankings

UH ����ԴDz� also received these notable rankings:

• World’s top 2.5% in the Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings, May 15, 2023
• Sixteen graduate programs recognized in the 2023–24 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings, April 24, 2023

For more information on rankings, see the .

—By Marc Arakaki

academic disciplines earned high marks in the 2023 , released on October 25, including top 200 rankings for arts and humanities, education, physical and life sciences. This is one of the premier comprehensive subject rankings in the world.

Among more than 26,000 colleges and universities worldwide, five out of the 10 ranked UH ����ԴDz� subjects placed in the world’s top 1% (within top 260 in the world), while the others placed in the world’s top 2–4% (within top 520–1,040).

UH ����ԴDz� subjects’ world ranking:

• Arts and humanities: No. 151–175
• Education: No. 151–175
• Physical sciences: No. 151–175
• Life sciences: No. 176–200
• Social sciences: No. 201–250
• Psychology: No. 301–400
• Business and economics: No. 401–500
• Clinical and health: No. 401–500
• Computer science: No. 601–800
• Engineering: No. 601–800

Times Higher Education considers the following factors for its rankings: teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income. Regarded as one of the leading national and international university rankings focused on research and academic excellence, Times Higher Education considered between 655–1,307 of the top institutions for each of its subject rankings, out of more than 26,000 institutions worldwide, to be eligible for its World University Rankings by Subject.

Other rankings

Here are UH ����ԴDz�’s latest notable rankings:

• 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 11, 2022
• U.S. News and World Report 2022–23 Best Colleges, September 11, 2022
• 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, August 16, 2022

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki

The earned international recognition for academic and research excellence overall and in multiple subject areas, including a top 60 showing worldwide in meteorology, atmospheric sciences and geosciences, according to the released on October 25 by U.S. News and World Report.

UH’s flagship campus is ranked No. 394 worldwide out of the top 2,000 universities from 95 countries, selected from more than 26,000 institutions worldwide. The rankings are based on several factors, including global and regional research reputation, publications, citations and international collaboration. UH ����ԴDz� was also ranked No. 106 overall in the U.S, No. 117 in regional research reputation, No. 129 in international collaboration in the U.S. and No. 267 in global research reputation.

According to U.S. News and World Report, UH ����ԴDz� is highly ranked internationally in several subject areas, including No. 40 in meteorology and atmospheric sciences, No. 60 in geosciences, No. 116 in arts and humanities, No. 119 in space science, No. 179 in plant and animal science, No. 198 in environment/ecology, and No. 250 in social sciences and public health.

Other rankings

Here are UH ����ԴDz�’s latest notable rankings:

• 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, October 11, 2022
• U.S. News and World Report 2022–23 Best Colleges, September 11, 2022
• 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, August 16, 2022

For more information, visit the .

—By Marc Arakaki