PR85354

LONDON, September 2, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- University of Tokyo (joint 36th) maintains top 50 position, as Kyoto

University climbs to joint 54th

- Japan is the 2nd most represented country or region in the entire rankings,

with 116 universities qualifying, including 6 appearing for the first time

- The University of Oxford retains top spot for the 5th consecutive year,

despite overall decline for UK universities

- Mainland China's Tsinghua University becomes the first ever Asian university

to make the overall top 20 (joint 20th)

- Record number of universities qualify for the 2021 ranking (1,527) from 93

countries or regions

- 18 countries or regions represented in the top 100

- 141 universities debut in the rankings with France's Paris-Saclay University

(joint 178th) ranking highest of the new entrants

- US (59) is the top represented country or region in the top 200, followed by

the UK (29), and Germany (21)

- View the full THE World University Rankings 2021 here:  

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2021/world-ranking 

- View the THE World University Rankings 2021 methodology here:  

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/world-university-rankings-2021-methodology 

Times Higher Education (THE), has today announced the results of its World

University Rankings 2021, which underline the shifting strength of higher

education and research around the world. Japan's top performing universities

continue to impress, as Japan remains the second most represented country or

region overall. The UK's University of Oxford claims top spot for the 5th

consecutive year, while US domination of the top 10 masks  wider decline, and

mainland China's Tsinghua University becomes the first ever Asian university to

break into the top 20 since the current methodology was launched in 2011.

The THE World University Rankings are the most balanced and comprehensive

global ranking, with 13 separate performance metrics covering the full range of

core activities for research-intensive universities: teaching, research,

knowledge transfer, and international outlook. This year's ranking analysed

over 86 million citations across more than 13.6 million research publications

and included survey responses from 22,000 scholars globally.

The 17th edition of the Rankings sees a record 18 countries and regions

represented in the top 100, and 93 represented overall, demonstrating that

geopolitical competition in the global knowledge economy is intensifying.

Moreover, a record 1,527 institutions qualify for the 2021 edition, a 9%

increase from the 2020 rankings when 1,397 institutions qualified.

Since the current methodology was introduced, the University of Tokyo has

achieved a top 50 spot each year, achieving joint 36th in the 2021 ranking.

Kyoto University also impresses, climbing 11 places to joint 54th position.

Since 2017, Kyoto University has managed to improve its previous ranking

position year on year. Additionally, Tohoku University continues to push for

its first top 200 finish since 2015, as it moves up into the 201-250 band

(previously 251-300 in 2020).

Notwithstanding the success story of the University of Oxford, the UK's status

as a higher education superpower is under challenge, as institutions from Asia

show clear signs of continued improvement. Of the UK's highest 20 ranked

institutions last year, only five were able to improve their position in the

table. The US also sees the challenge from Asia affecting its performance. Its

universities continue to perform well at the top end of the ranking, commanding

the highest number of positions in the overall top 10 (8) since the rankings

began, as the University of California, Berkeley, climbs 6 places, from joint

13th to 7th. However, 50% of the US's 20 best performing universities from the

2020 ranking fail to maintain their position. Over the past five years, the US

has lost 4 positions in the overall top 200 (63 in 2016, 59 in 2021) as

competition rises for the top spots.

University Name

Country / Region

2021 Rank

2020 Rank

Change

University of Oxford

United Kingdom

1

1

=

Stanford University

United States

2

4

+2

Harvard University

United States

3

7

+4

California Institute of Technology

United States

4

2

–2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States

5

5

=

University of Cambridge

United Kingdom

6

3

–3

University of California, Berkeley

United States

7

=13

+6

Yale University

United States

8

8

=

Princeton University

United States

9

6

–3

University of Chicago

United States

10

9

–1

TABLE: Overall Top 10 – THE World University Rankings 2021

Asia's rise is fronted by mainland China's Tsinghua University (joint 20th),

which becomes the first Asian university ever to break into the THE World

University Rankings top 20 since the current methodology launched in 2011. This

achievement is an indicator of the wider positive movements in higher education

for mainland China, and the rest of Asia in recent years. Since 2016, mainland

China has gained 5 additional places in the top 200 (from 2 in 2016 to 7 in

2021). It has also doubled its representation in the top 100 since last year,

gaining 3 additional places (6 in total). Of the 7 universities that achieved a

top 200 place in 2020, 85% improved their position in 2021, as mainland China

continues to challenge the world's very best.

In total, there are 16 Asian universities in the top 100, the highest total for

Asia since the rankings began. Mainland China's Fudan University (joint 70th),

Zhejiang University (joint 94th), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (100th) and

South Korea's Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

(96th), all move into the elite group. Of those 16 institutions, 13 of them

either improved or maintained their position from last year, demonstrating the

rising competition from Asia at the expense of western higher education systems.

In terms of representation, Japan has an impressive 116 qualifying

universities, making it the second most represented country or region in the

rankings (second to the US, 181). The US dominates the top 200 positions (59),

with the United Kingdom (29) and Germany (21) following in second and third.

Overall, European representation at the top of the table is in a steady

decline, losing 9 top 200 places in the past 5 years (105 in 2016, 96 in 2021).

This is a result of China, Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Canada all

gaining positions in the same period. However, it's not all doom and gloom for

Europe, as Germany's top five performing universities in the 2021 ranking all

improve or equal their 2020 ranking positions. Furthermore, Paris-Saclay

University (joint 178th), formerly Paris-Sud University, is the highest ranked

new entrant in the 2021 ranking.

The THE World University Rankings 2021 sees 141 universities qualify for the

first time. India has the highest total of new entrants, with 14, and sees a

record number of ranked institutions as a result (63). After India, the US

(13), mainland China (10), Russia, Japan, and Iran (all 9), bolster their

representation in the rankings following a number of new entries. There is also

a first ever entrant for Botswana: the University of Botswana (1001+).

Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer at THE, commented:

"Japan's top universities are consistently performing at the top end of the

World University Rankings table, with The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University

and Tohoku University all improving or maintaining their 2020 positions in our

most competitive rankings so far. Furthermore, Japan is once again the second

most represented country or region in the THE World University Rankings,

demonstrating its ambition to compete with the very best on the world stage of

higher education.

This year marks a milestone for Asian higher education, as China's Tsinghua

University disrupts the traditional domination of western universities at the

top of the table, breaking into the top 20 for the first time. This trend is

likely to accelerate further as the coronavirus pandemic heralds a perfect

storm of huge challenges for primarily western universities. With a likely

decrease in the international flow of students and staff around the world, and

possible funding challenges among the west's established higher education

sectors, we could see Asia capitalise. If homegrown talent stays in the region

instead of making its traditional migration to elite western institutions,

particularly in the US and the UK, we could see the start of a dramatic

rebalancing of the global knowledge economy to Asia's benefit."

LINKS TO APPENDICES:

Full THE World University Rankings 2021

THE World University Rankings 2021 Methodology

TABLE: Full Japanese Performance – THE World University Rankings 2021

TABLE: Overall Top 200 – THE World University Rankings 2021

ABOUT THE

THE is the trusted global data partner for higher education. Drawing on five

decades of expertise in the sector, millions of individual data points, more

institutions participating in our flagship university rankings than any other

and 28 million website users in 2019, we offer deeper and richer insight into

university performance than anyone else. From powerful data-driven insights and

strategic consultancy support to agenda-setting events and hiring solutions,

our products and services enable everyone in higher education to make smarter,

more informed decisions.

For more information, visit www.timeshighereducation.com or find us on Twitter

@timeshighered @THEworldunirank and @THEuniadvice

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Harry Huskisson

Head of Communications, THE  

communications@timeshighereducation.com

+44(0)7471 355250

Source: Times Higher Education (THE)