The Lens
QS World University Rankings 2025
This unique ranking system is the only one of its kind that incorporates both employability and sustainability factors.
For the thirteenth consecutive year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) maintains its reign at the top. Imperial College London jumps four places to take 2nd and the University of Oxford and Harvard University remain in 3rd and 4th place respectively, while the University of Cambridge rounds out the top five.
Switzerland and Singapore are the only other countries featured in the top 10, with ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and National University of Singapore (NUS) placing seventh and eighth respectrespectively. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is the only institution to break into the top 10 in this edition.
Global highlights
- The UK boasts more elite universities than any other country, with three of the top five positions occupied by UK institutions. Imperial College London takes the UK’s highest rank for the first time since 2014. The UK’s strongest indicator overall is International Student Ratio, in which it achieves the world’s second-highest average score among countries with ten or more ranked universities, behind only Saudi Arabia.
- The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is the only institution globally to break into the top 10 in this edition. The US continues to boast one of the world’s most renowned higher education systems according to employers and academics.
- Canadian higher education performs exceptionally in Sustainability, with two universities among the world’s top five, including the world’s most sustainable institution, the University of Toronto.
- Three Australian institutions are in the world’s top 20. Its two best, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney, each climb one position to 13th and 18th, respectively. Australia dominates in international research in the Asia-Pacific region, claiming nine of the top 10 positions.
- Of China’s five representatives in the top 100, four have climbed the table. Fudan University is the most improved, climbing 11 places to 39th. Peking University takes the country’s top spot, moving up three places to 14th.
- India’s institutions made impressive progress, with 28 of its top 30 ranked institutions moving up including the 10 highest which all climb by more than 10 places. It achieves significant improvements in Academic and Employer Reputation.
- Hong Kong SAR and Singapore remain among the best-performing locations for Academic Reputation based on their average scores. They are the only two countries with an average above 50, though both have fewer than 10 institutions.
- Latin America has four representatives in the top 100, each from its four of the largest economies: Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) in Argentina (71st); Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil (92nd); Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) in Chile (93rd); and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico (94th).
- The highest-ranked institution from the Arab region is King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals in Saudi Arabia, displacing compatriot King Abdulaziz University (KAU) and Qatar University. The institution is also one of the biggest climbers in the top 500, moving up 79 places.
- South Africa remains the powerhouse in Africa, holding the region’s top four positions in the rankings. The University of Cape Town is the highest-ranked institution in 171st, an improvement of two places.
