Out now: World Reputation Rankings 2025

Harvard University proves its prestige once again as number one in the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2025.

• The world’s most prestigious universities, as judged by 55,000 academics worldwide 

• Results of the world’s largest invitation-only, statistically representative survey of academic experts 

• Harvard University remains number one for the 14th year 

• United Kingdom’s best performance since 2015 

• Universities in the United States dominate the top end of the rankings, with six institutions in the top 10 

• University of Oxford and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in joint second place 

• A total of 300 universities are ranked, up from 200 in the previous edition 

• There are 38 countries/territories ranked, up from 31 in the previous edition 

• Ten new countries enter the ranking, including Malaysia and Poland 

• Sub-Saharan Africa recognised for academic reputation for first time since 2022 

• Revamped methodology provides deeper insights than ever before 

Times Higher Education’s list of the world’s most prestigious universities has been revealed, with the top 300 most powerful academic brands listed for the first time. 

The revamped methodology for 2025 is still based on a high-quality survey with more than 55,000 respondents – the world’s largest invitation-only, statistically representative survey of academic experts – but with additional metrics to provide a more robust measurement of reputation and more granular insights. 

Harvard University remains number one for the 14th year, suggesting that the most powerful university brand in the world is immovable. 

The University of Oxford is now joint second – the highest position for a UK institution since 2015. This rise shows that its reputation for academic excellence is finally starting to catch up with its performance (it has topped the overall World University Rankings for nine years). 

While China is yet to break into the top 10 of the overall World University Rankings, one Chinese institution, Tsinghua University, maintains eighth position globally for scholarly reputation.

Top 10 universities overall in the THE World Reputation Rankings 2025

= joint   

If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings”, and link to the full list on our website.

LMU Munich, KU Leuven, Sorbonne University, the University of Melbourne, University of Hong Kong and University of Manchester all joined the top 50 this year. 

This year, 300 universities are included in the World Reputation Rankings, and institutions in the top 100 are given precise ranks, meaning that some universities and countries/territories are now visible for the first time. 

Ten new countries enter the World Reputation Rankings this year, when compared with the previous edition: Argentina, Chile, Czechia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa and Turkey. Four of these have never featured before (Chile, Malaysia, Poland and Portugal). 

New countries in THE World Reputation Rankings 2025

= joint   

If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings”, and link to the full list on our website.

Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said: “There is no doubt that academic reputation is a powerful currency in global higher education – it shapes student choices, faculty movement, institutional collaborations and investments. And Times Higher Education’s Academic Reputation Survey, drawing on more than three-quarters of a million votes from a survey of over 55,000 expert academics worldwide, provides the definitive view of the world’s most prestigious universities – the top global academic brands.  

“It is exciting to see some real shifts in the global standing of universities. While the global university super-brands from the United States and United Kingdom remain strongly in place, there are some clear emerging new forces, and the extension of the ranking from a top 200 to a top 300 showcases a more diverse range of strong global academic brands.”  

Vicky Irwin, senior director of THE Consultancy and strategic sponsor of THE World 100 Reputation Network, a professional network for reputation managers in the world’s best universities, highlighted Asia’s untapped potential: “With only 15 per cent of the 300 ranked universities coming from Asia, the region presents immense growth opportunities and we are witnessing universities in Asia taking a much greater interest in managing and developing their international reputations and global ‘brands’. This year, we were thrilled to welcome City University of Hong Kong to our World 100 Reputation Network management committee, bringing valuable local and regional perspectives that enhance our truly global network. Our esteemed committee also includes McMaster University, The University of Sydney, University of Birmingham and University of Navarra. 

“The diversification of the W100 network also comes at a time when reputation management has become increasingly important for universities the world over. With this in mind, THE Consultancy are delighted to be launching our new Brand Reputation Framework – a six-step solution designed to help universities and governments elevate their brand capabilities and enhance reputation, at a time they need it most.” 

Regional/country highlights 

North America: Harvard retains top position worldwide 

Harvard University in the United States is the top institution in North America, and top overall in the 2025 ranking. There are 83 North American universities in the ranking, of which 71 are in the United States. Twelve Canadian universities are ranked, with the University of Waterloo moving into the top 100 for the first time since 2011. 

Europe: Scandinavian universities go from strength to strength 

The University of Oxford in the United Kingdom is the top institution in Europe, and in joint second place overall. The ranking includes 153 European universities from 17 countries/territories, and of those the United Kingdom is the most represented, with 39 institutions. 

Germany’s Technical University of Munich remains in the top 30, while Poland and Portugal enter the ranking for the first time. 

KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and Finland’s University of Helsinki enter the top 100, while Norway’s University of Oslo and Sweden’s Stockholm University both enter the top 150, showing impressive progress for Scandinavian countries. 

Asia: Tsinghua and Tokyo hold on to top 10 positions 

Asia has 45 universities in the ranking, with 11 institutions from Japan, making it the most-represented country in Asia. The region’s top institution is Tsinghua University in China, in eighth position overall, with Japan’s University of Tokyo the only other Asian institution in the top 10. Meanwhile, Malaysia appears in the table for the first time, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong has been a steady riser, entering the top 70 for the first time in 2025. 

Latin America: Trio of new entrants 

The top institution in Latin America is the University of São Paulo in Brazil, in band 101-150. Chile enters the table for the first time this year, while Argentina and Mexico feature once again, bringing the tally of Latin American institutions to five, led by Brazil (two universities ranked). 

Middle East and North Africa (MENA): KAUST remains a strong brand in region 

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in the top 300, remains the only MENA representative in the ranking. 

Sub-Saharan Africa: Recognised for reputation again 

Sub-Saharan Africa is starting to be recognised for academic reputation again, with South Africa’s University of Cape Town entering the ranking in the top 300 (it last featured in 2022). 

Oceania: New Zealand enters the table 

In total, 11 universities in Oceania are ranked in 2025. The top institution in Oceania is Australia’s University of Melbourne, in 47th place overall. Another Australian institution, UNSW Sydney, appears in the top 100 for the first time since 2020 and New Zealand is recognised for reputation for the first time since 2022.

Countries/territories in THE World Reputation Rankings 2025

= joint  

If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings”, and link to the full list on our website.

Notes to editors     

1. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please email media@timeshighereducation.com  
2. THE is the trusted global data partner for higher education. Drawing on five decades of expertise in the sector, millions of individual data points and with more unique institutions participating in our flagship university rankings than any other, 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, student recruitment and hiring solutions, our products and services enable everyone in higher education to make smarter, more informed decisions. For more information, visit Times Higher Education or find us on Twitter/X: @timeshighered @THEworldunirank
3. See the full Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2025.