Asia is now home to almost half of the world’s leading young research universities, according to the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings.
THE’s Young University Rankings 2024 reveals the best universities that are 50 years old or younger and topping the ranking for the second year in a row is Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, which was established in 1991, and ranks highly in THE’s World University Rankings 2024, in 32nd place.
The number of Asian universities in the rankings has nearly doubled in five years, climbing from 165 in 2020 (representing 40 per cent of the table) to 327 this year (49 per cent).
Turkey, India and Iran have driven the rise. Turkey has 58 universities in the ranking, up from 47 last year and just 23 in 2020. India has 55 ranked institutions, up from 45 last year and 26 in 2020; while Iran has 46 universities, up from 39 last year and 20 in 2020.
In second place is Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris, which moved up one place from last year. The collegiate university was formed in 2010 with the aim of becoming one of the world’s leading research universities.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology which was second last year has moved down one place this year to third. The university, established in 1991, is one of the best in Hong Kong and focuses on providing students with a science and technology education.
Phil Baty, Times Higher Education’s chief global affairs officer, said: “THE’s Young University Rankings 2024 shine a light on lesser known ‘young’ higher education institutions – covering both the rising stars of the future as well as those universities that have achieved world-leading teaching and research in decades, when their more established counterparts have had centuries to develop.”
Top 10 higher education institutions in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2024
|
Higher education institutions |
Country/region |
Rank 2024 |
Rank 2023 |
|
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore |
Singapore |
1 |
1 |
|
Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris |
France |
2 |
3 |
|
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
Hong Kong |
3 |
2 |
|
City University of Hong Kong |
Hong Kong |
4 |
6 |
|
Université Paris-Saclay |
France |
5 |
12 |
|
Institut Polytechnique de Paris |
France |
6 |
8 |
|
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
Hong Kong |
7 |
4 |
|
Sorbonne University |
France |
8 |
15 |
|
Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) |
South Korea |
9 |
14 |
|
Maastricht University |
Netherlands |
10 |
13 |
If you reproduce any part of the table in this release please credit: Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024 - (and please include the link to the full table).
Australia has the world’s highest scoring universities, on average, with an overall score of 58.4, coming ahead of all other countries that have had four or more institutions continuously ranked in THE’s Young University Rankings since 2020. The ranking sees Germany at the second place with an average score of 57.8 France drops from second to third place this year with 56.8. Notably, South Korea climbs to fourth place, overtaking several nations including Italy and China improving its score from 45.7 to 53.7.
Hong Kong has the most universities in the top 10, with three, two of which went down from last year however City University of Hong Kong has risen two places from last year to fourth.
Several French universities, all of which comprise merged older institutions, dominate the top of the table – taking five of the top 20 places - and improve their scores this year. Université Paris-Saclay is fifth, up from 12th; Institut Polytechnique de Paris is sixth, up from eighth; and Sorbonne University* is eighth, up from 15th.
There has also been a significant increase in the representation of universities in Africa in the ranking. Five years ago, 39 African universities appeared in the table, representing 9 per cent of the total. The continent now has 77 institutions ranked (11 per cent). Nigeria has the biggest percentage increase in universities ranked of all African countries: one was included in 2020 and this year it has 10. Compared to 2023, 109 new institutions joined the ranking this year and Ghana and Peru made their debut too.
Phil Baty added: “What we can see very clearly this year is that the stunning rise of Asia in global rankings is not just restricted to its older, established universities. The continent is highly dynamic, with a wide range of young, rising star universities emerging in places like India, Pakistan and Turkey.
“This bodes very well for the continued success of a continent that is still largely driven by excellence in education and research. The future of Asian teaching, research and innovation looks extremely bright indeed.”
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) is the highest new entry in the ranking in joint 33rd place.
A total of 673 universities, from 79 countries/regions, are in the ranking this year up from 605 in 2023. There are 498 institutions that are listed with ‘reporter’ status, meaning they provided data but did not meet our eligibility criteria to receive a rank. This represents a significant increase on last year where 358 institutions had reporter status, representing a 39 per cent rise.
The Young University Rankings reflect the relative development of university systems, comparing institutions founded within the past 50 years, and applies the same methodology as the World University Rankings with recalibrated weightings. View the Young University Rankings 2024 methodology and read our analysis of the Young University Rankings 2024.
*Sorbonne University was created on 1st January 2018, through the merger of Paris-Sorbonne University and Pierre and Marie Curie University.