THE World University Rankings 2022 Released

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2022 REVEALS PLANET’S BEST UNIVERSITIES AS UK’S UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD TOPS TABLE FOR 6^TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AND OTHERS SEE BOOST FROM COVID-19 RESEARCH

• UK’s University of Oxford (1^st) retains top spot for the sixth consecutive year
• A record 1,662 universities from 99 countries and regions rank, 136 more than last year
• Several universities climb table following success of Covid-19 related research
• Mainland China claims highest ever position in table as Tsinghua University and Peking University tie in 16^th and sees record number of universities in the top 200 (10)
  
  
• US (8) and UK (2) dominate overall top 10 for the second year in a row
• Japan, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, and Hong Kong all achieve highest positions since the new methodology was introduced in 2016
• Hong Kong records its highest ever number of universities in the top 100 (4)
• Latin America and Caribbean region see record participating universities (125)
• 175 universities make their debuts in the 2022 ranking, France’s recent merger university Institut Polytechnique de Paris (95^th) is the highest-ranking debutant
• Palestine enters rankings for first time in world’s top 500 and is one of five new countries and territories making their debut alongside Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Ethiopia and Fiji

• View the full THE World University Rankings 2022: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2022/world-ranking
  
  
• View the full THE World University Rankings 2022 methodology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/world-university-rankings-2022-methodology

2 September 2021

Times Higher Education (THE) has today announced the results of  the THE World University Rankings 2022 with the UK’s University of Oxford – which led the way in the global search for a Covid-19 vaccine – retaining top spot for an impressive sixth consecutive year. This is despite a record 1,662 universities from 99 countries and regions appearing in the table. Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji and Palestine are all represented for the first time, and include an analysis of 108 million citations to 14.4 million research publications, as well as a survey of over 22,000 academics

Top Ten Universities Hold On For Fourth Year

The top 10 positions are all held by the same universities for a second consecutive year, though only three appear in the same ranking position as last year. California Institute of Technology (=2^nd), and Harvard University (=2^nd) in the US both move up, while the UK’s University of Cambridge (=5^th) climbs back into the top 5 after dropping to 6^th last year. Princeton University in the US (7^th) also improves, moving up two places.

Below Table: Overall Top 10

Universities See Boost From Covid-19 Research

In a year dominated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the rankings reflect the vital role of universities in understanding and managing the crisis as a number of institutions see significant boosts in their citation scores (which examine university’s research influence, and look at their role in spreading new knowledge and ideas) from Covid-19 focused research.

A number of medical universities moved up the table since last year following Covid-19 research. To name a few, Mainland China’s  Capital Medical University (501-600), Taiwan’s Asia University, Taiwan (501-600), Saudi Arabia’s Umm Al-Qura University (601-800), and Estonia’s Tallinn University of Technology (601-800), all moved up at least one ranking band as a result.

Mainland China Continues Rapid Rise

Mainland China enjoys some striking success stories as it continues its rise up the table, with Peking University and Tsinghua University (=16^th) claiming mainland China’s highest ever finish, and giving it two top 20 places for the first time ever. There are also a record number of mainland Chinese universities ranked in the top 200 (10) as Wuhan University (157^th), Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) (=162^nd), and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (181^th) all move into the band.

The top 200 – Record Highs and New Entrants

This year, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, and Hong Kong all claim their best ever finishes since the current methodology was introduced in 2016 as Japan’s University of Tokyo (=35^th), Hong Kong’s University of Hong Kong (=30^th), South Korea’s Seoul National University (=54^th), Singapore’s National University of Singapore (21^st), and Russia’s Lomonosov Moscow State University (=158^th) all climb the table.

The top 200 also sees eight new entrants as universities from mainland China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Austria, France and Italy all move into the band.

Below Table: New Entrants into Top 200

Debutants and Best Represented Countries and Regions

France’s Institut Polytechnique de Paris (95^th) is the highest ranked of 175 debutant universities this year (following its recent merger), and the only one to rank in the top 100, closely followed by another French university (and recent merger, formerly 'University Paris-Saclay’), Université Paris-Saclay (=117^th). No other university debuts in the top 200.

The highest number of new entrants are from the US (14), helping it achieve a record number of ranked institutions as a result (183). Following close behind are Iran and Russia both with 12 new entrants, Turkey (11), Brazil and India (both 9).

Below Table: Total and highest ranked debutant universities by country

Once again, the US is the most represented country or region in the ranking (183 universities). They are followed by Japan (118), UK (101), mainland China (97), and India (71). Fiji, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Ethiopia, and Palestine are all represented for the first time. Except Ecuador (six), these debut countries and regions see one unversity appear in the table.

Below Table: Top represented countries and territories in the THE World University Rankings 2022

Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer, THE, commented:

“The world’s elite universities have enjoyed a long period of dominance at the top of the table with help from historic repuatation, global status, and reliable income. But our data shows us that there are clear shifts happening across higher education around the world. We are already seeing clear disruption to the established norms from mainland China, and record highs for Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong show that Asia is continuing to benefit from the focus and investment in higher education across the continent.

In the coming years  it will be interesting to see whether the US, UK and other world-leading higher education systems can respond to the challenges of Covid-19, including attracting international academic and student talent, and a possibly serious impact on already stretched funding, to hold onto their positions at the very top of the table.”