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Best universities in the emerging economies: top 100

The best universities in the THE Emerging Economies University Rankings 2021

    October 19 2021
    Best universities in the emerging economies

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    Chinese universities dominate the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies Rankings 2022.

    Out of more than 500 ranked universities, China takes 97 places, with Tsinghua University in second place. India was the second most represented country, with 71 universities.

    The ranking shines a spotlight on universities in 48 countries classed as emerging economies, including Brazil, India, Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey and the Czech Republic.

    All the universities in the top 10 also appear in the top 250 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.

    The Emerging Economies Ranking uses the same 13 performance indicators as the World University Rankings, measuring teaching, research, research impact, industry income and international outlook, but the weightings are adjusted to reflect the specific characteristics of this group of universities. The full methodology can be found here.

    Only institutions in countries in the FTSE Group’s Country Classification Process are eligible to be included in this ranking.

    Best universities in the emerging economies 2022

    1. Peking University, China

    Peking University is a member of the C9 league, which is similar to the Ivy League in the US, and is generally one of the highest ranked institutions in China.

    The campus is known as “Yan Yuan” – the garden of Yan – and is located in a suburb of Beijing near the Summer Palace.

    Many of its academics are members of prestigious research academies and direct groundbreaking research in China.

    Peking’s students have the opportunity to study a diverse range of subjects, from humanities to applied sciences. There is also a significant focus on professional skills to provide students with the foundation to transition into careers.

    1. Tsinghua University, China

    Since 1911, Tsinghua University has aimed to bridge the gap between Chinese and Western culture, sciences and humanities, and ancient and modern knowledge.

    Although the institution has particular strengths in science and technology, it conducts research and teaching across 20 schools and 54 departments, from management to art.

    Many successful people in politics, academia and industry have graduated from Tsinghua University, including two Nobel prizewinners, physicists Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang.  

    3. Zhejiang University, China

    Zhejiang University is part of China’s elite C9 group of universities. Founded in 1887, it is one of the oldest and most selective universities in the country.

    The university has seven campuses across Hangzhou: Yuquan, Xixi, Haining International, Huajiachi, Zhijiang, Zijin’gang and Zhoushan.

    The university has partnerships with more than 180 institutions from more than 30 countries worldwide, including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    4. Fudan University, China

    Fudan University has four campuses in downtown Shanghai: Handan, Fenglin, Zhangjiang and Jiangwan.

    The university takes a liberal arts approach to teaching, with a focus on developing students’ understanding of different cultures and independent research skills.

    Many of Fudan’s courses are taught in English and the university has developed partnerships with more than 200 institutions worldwide. Students at Fudan University are encouraged to take advantage of these partnerships and participate in a study abroad exchange.

    5. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

    Shanghai Jiao Tong University is a major research university in Shanghai. It is also one of the oldest universities in China, having been established in 1896. 

    The institution offers 67 undergraduate programmes across economics, law, literature, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, management and arts. It also offers a wide range of master’s and doctoral programmes. 

    The Shanghai Jiao Tong University Students’ Union provides a range of clubs and associations, and organises a variety of events throughout the year, such as on Halloween and New Year’s Eve.


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    Top 100 universities in the Emerging Economies Ranking 2022

    Click each institution to view its World University Rankings 2022 profile

    Emerging Economies Rank 2022World University Rank 2022UniversityCountry/region
    1=16Peking UniversityChina
    2=16Tsinghua UniversityChina
    3=75Zhejiang UniversityChina
    460Fudan UniversityChina
    584Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina
    6=158Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussian Federation
    7=88University of Science and Technology of ChinaChina
    8=105Nanjing UniversityChina
    9=113National Taiwan University (NTU)Taiwan
    10201–250Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT)Russian Federation
    11157Wuhan UniversityChina
    12=162Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)China
    13181Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyChina
    14=190King Abdulaziz UniversitySaudi Arabia
    15251–300University of the WitwatersrandSouth Africa
    =16=183University of Cape TownSouth Africa
    =16201–250Taipei Medical UniversityTaiwan
    18301–350Indian Institute of ScienceIndia
    19201–250University of São PauloBrazil
    20301–350Tongji UniversityChina
    21351–400Khalifa UniversityUnited Arab Emirates
    22251–300Beijing Normal UniversityChina
    23301–350National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaiwan
    24251–300Stellenbosch UniversitySouth Africa
    25301–350Central South UniversityChina
    26401–500National Research Nuclear University MEPhIRussian Federation
    27301–350China Medical University, TaiwanTaiwan
    28301–350HSE UniversityRussian Federation
    =29301–350East China Normal UniversityChina
    =29351–400King Saud UniversitySaudi Arabia
    =29251–300Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina
    32401–500Tianjin UniversityChina
    =33201–250Alfaisal UniversitySaudi Arabia
    =33301–350Qatar UniversityQatar
    =33251–300Semmelweis UniversityHungary
    =36301–350University of MalayaMalaysia
    =36351–400National Tsing Hua UniversityTaiwan
    38401–500Sichuan UniversityChina
    39251–300University of TartuEstonia
    40351–400King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsSaudi Arabia
    41301–350Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic UniversityRussian Federation
    42401–500Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityChina
    43351–400United Arab Emirates UniversityUnited Arab Emirates
    44501–600Sabancı UniversityTurkey
    45401–500South China University of TechnologyChina
    =46501–600Beihang UniversityChina
    =46301–350Nankai UniversityChina
    =48401–500University of CampinasBrazil
    =48401–500Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileChile
    50401–500University of IcelandIceland
    51601–800National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)Taiwan
    =52301–350University of Cape CoastGhana
    =52501–600Southeast UniversityChina
    54501–600Asia University , TaiwanTaiwan
    =55501–600Koç UniversityTurkey
    =55301–350Reykjavík UniversityIceland
    57351–400University of KwaZulu-NatalSouth Africa
    58601–800ITMO UniversityRussian Federation
    59351–400Shenzhen UniversityChina
    60501–600Universiti Teknologi PetronasMalaysia
    61401–500University of SharjahUnited Arab Emirates
    62401–500National and Kapodistrian University of AthensGreece
    63501–600Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityChina
    =64601–800Beijing Institute of TechnologyChina
    =64401–500University of CyprusCyprus
    =64501–600University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChina
    67601–800National Taiwan Normal UniversityTaiwan
    =68351–400University of HailSaudi Arabia
    =68601–800Middle East Technical UniversityTurkey
    =70401–500Southern Medical UniversityChina
    =70601–800Tomsk State UniversityRussian Federation
    72501–600Harbin Institute of TechnologyChina
    73351–400JSS Academy of Higher Education and ResearchIndia
    74401–500Xiamen UniversityChina
    =75351–400Harokopio UniversityGreece
    =75601–800National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech)Taiwan
    =75401–500Saint-Petersburg Mining UniversityRussian Federation
    =78501–600Charles University in PragueCzech Republic
    =78401–500University of CreteGreece
    =78401–500Hunan UniversityChina
    81601–800Universiti Putra MalaysiaMalaysia
    82401–500Ton Duc Thang UniversityVietnam
    83601–800Istanbul Technical UniversityTurkey
    =84401–500Indian Institute of Technology IndoreIndia
    =84401–500Jordan University of Science and TechnologyJordan
    86351–400Indian Institute of Technology RoparIndia
    87601–800Mahidol UniversityThailand
    88601–800National University of Science and Technology (MISiS)Russian Federation
    =89401–500Cankaya UniversityTurkey
    =89501–600Cyprus University of TechnologyCyprus
    91601–800Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaMalaysia
    =92601–800Chongqing UniversityChina
    =92801–1000Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)Brazil
    =94401–500An-Najah National UniversityPalestine
    =94601–800China Agricultural UniversityChina
    =96501–600University of International Business and EconomicsChina
    =96501–600North-West UniversitySouth Africa
    =96601–800Soochow UniversityChina
    =96401–500University of TabukSaudi Arabia
    100401–500Durban University of TechnologySouth Africa

    Read more: See the full Emerging Economies Ranking 2022 here


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