Times Higher Education Publishes List of Top 300 Asian Universities in 2017

LONDON, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Times Higher Education (THE) has today published the Asia University Rankings 2017 (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/regional-ranking). Hong Kong has two institutions in the top 10 with University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology placed fifth and sixth respectively. It is joined by Chinese University of Hong Kong (11^th), City University of Hong Kong (12^th), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (17^th) and Hong Kong Baptist University (joint 49^th) in the top 50.  

For the second year running, Singapore's National University and China's Peking University ranked first and second respectively. Only two Japanese institutions appear in the top 20, despite the country's strong representation in the rankings with 69 universities included ¡V almost a quarter (23%)of the top 300 list. After China with six universities in the top 20, Hong Kong and South Korea are well-represented with five institutions each.

On Hong Kong's success, Phil Baty the editor of the Times Higher Education rankings, said:

"It is fantastic news that six universities in Hong Kong made our list of Asia's best universities, and that five of these make the top 20, up from four last year. Hong Kong Polytechnic University joins the top 20 for the first time in 17^th place, while City University of Hong Kong jumps from 16^th to 12^th, both of which are thanks to improvements for the institutions across all five pillars underlying the methodology.

"However, two universities have dropped places. Its flagship institution, the University of Hong Kong, has slipped from fourth to fifth, while Hong Kong Baptist University drops from 44^th to 49^th. This occurred despite the fact the overall scores for both institutions increased, meaning that other institutions improved at a faster rate.

Phil Baty continued:

"Despite these small declines, Hong Kong's performance is impressive given that it has a population of just over 7 million and it is one of the top-performing territories in the table relative to its wealth and population. Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of university-aged people in Hong Kong are enrolled in one of its six featured universities ¡V a proportion beaten only by Turkey and Macao.

"Overall this ranking of Asia's best 300 universities proves what a dynamic, diverse and competitive higher education region the continent is becoming ¡V and Hong Kong is a key part of that development."

Phil Baty continued:

"China is once again the stand out performer in this ranking, despite the fact that Japan wins the battle in terms of overall number of institutions featured. While Japan is the continent's leading university nation ¡V the first time in three years that it is the sole bearer of this title ¡V the majority of its universities have declined. In contrast, several of China's leading universities have risen up the ranks, including Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiao Tong and Tongji. Peking holds on to second place. Overall China has 54 universities in the top 300 table.

"Its special administrative region, Hong Kong, is also a higher education star in Asia. Five of its six featured universities made the top 20, up from four list year, despite stiff competition at the top of the table.

"Elsewhere in the East Asian region, South Korea has performed well. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology is now the nation's leading institution for the first time in the five-year history of the ranking, while Yonsei and Chung-Ang universities have also dramatically improved. Overall, an impressive 26 South Korean universities made this year's list of Asia's best universities and 15 of these make the top 100, up from 13 last year.

"But the rankings are a zero sum game, and while there have been gains in other regions, Taiwan has lost out this year. It now has no institutions in the top 20 of the Asia University Rankings for the first time in the five-year history of the table, after National Taiwan University dropped from 15^th to 24^th place, due to being overtaken by other rapidly improving institutions.

"Overall this ranking of Asia's best 300 universities proves what a dynamic, diverse and competitive higher education region the continent is becoming ¡V and the East Asian region is a key part of that development."

THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION TOP 100 ASIA UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2017

Copyright Times Higher Education 2017

If any of this table below is reproduced, you must credit: Times Higher Education and link to the Top 300 full results and analysis at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/regional-ranking

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information and interviews, please contact: Michael Hindmarsh or Annabel Banks on TimesHigherEducation@brands2life.com / +44 (0) 207 592 1200

Methodology key facts

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are the only global performance tables that judge research-intensive universities across all their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The Asia University Rankings use the same 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments. However, the weightings are specially recalibrated to reflect the priorities of Asian institutions.

Full methodology can be found here: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/asia-university-rankings-2017-methodology

About Times Higher Education magazine

Times Higher Education is the world's most authoritative source of information about higher education. Designed specifically for professional people working in higher education and research, THE was founded in 1971 and has been online since 1995.  It is published by TES Global.

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