The QS Asia University Rankings 2019, launched today, continues to reflect a wide range of excellence in academic standards when it comes to universities in Asia. Whilst last year witnessed a staggering 450 Asian universities make it to the ranking, this new edition features an even greater total of 505.
The universities are ranked based on a methodology which assesses their performance using several indicators, including factors such as the number of staff with PhD, and each university’s proportion of inbound and outbound exchange students.
Read on to discover the 10 top universities in Asia, or click here for a full view of the rankings table.
10. Seoul National University (SNU)
Location: South Korea
Seoul National University (SNU) was founded in 1946 through the merger of 10 higher education institutions, and ranks 36th in the QS World University Rankings® 2019. Despite its tumultuous history during the mid-20th century, it has long stood amongst South Korea’s finest universities and currently comes 10th in the Asia ranking.
Boasting excellent scores throughout most of the 11 categories, SNU performs particularly well for its academic reputation and employer reputation, achieving near-perfect scores for both indicators. The university educated a range of famous Korean entertainers and politicians, including former South-Korean President, Kim Young-sam.
9. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
Location: Hong Kong
Established in 1963, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a relatively young university which is ranked ninth in this year’s Asia university rankings, and has evidently earned its place among the region’s higher-education elite. It also stands at 49th place in the world university rankings, and is the only university in Hong Kong which offers a unique college system.
With impressively high scores across all 11 indicators, CUHK is undoubtedly setting the ideal standards for academic and social excellence; it achieves particularly perfect scores for the indicators used to measure international faculty, international students, and inbound exchange students.
8. KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Location: South Korea
As South Korea’s first research-oriented science and engineering institution, KAIST (formally known as the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) was founded in 1971 and boasts a fast-growing reputation as one of the top universities in the world, currently ranking 40th.
Also ranked at eighth in Asia, the university performs tremendously well across almost all categories, particularly for its academia; achieving a perfect score for the indicator which assesses the percentage of each university’s staff with a PhD, and near-perfect scores for citations per paper (the impact of the university’s research papers), and papers published per faculty.
7. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Location: Hong Kong
As we travel back to Hong Kong for the second time in the Asia ranking, this year’s next ranked university is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in seventh place.
Despite its very young existence (having been established in 1991), the university has quickly risen in the world university rankings, currently standing at 37th place. Comitted to a very high standard in education and research, HKUST achieves impeccable scores across all 11 indicators, boasting perfect scores for those measuring citations per paper, international faculty, international students, and both inbound and outbound exchange students.
6. Fudan University
Location: China
Heading west to China for the next in our look at the top universities in Asia, we’ll find the sixth-ranked institution, Fudan University. Also ranked 44th in the world, Fudan is situated amid the bustling metropolitan city of Shanghai, and is one of China’s most respected and selective institutions. It was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China’s imperial Qing dynasty.
It achieves very impressive scores overall across the 11 indicators used to compile the Asia university rankings, with a particularly perfect score for the indicator assessing the university’s citations per paper, a measure of research impact.
5. Peking University
Location: China
Founded in 1898, Peking University is the oldest higher education institution in China, and was established as a replacement for the ancient Guozijian school (Imperial College). Over the span of its two-century existence, it’s played a vital role, contributing to major historical events such as China’s New Culture Movement and the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989.
Currently ranking 30th in the world university rankings and fifth in Asia, having risen four ranks from last year, the university continues to impress throughout all academic factors, achieving perfect scores for both its academic and employer reputations.
=3. Tsinghua University
Location: China
Still in China, Tsinghua University in Beijing is one of the leading institutions for engineering and computer science programs, having been consistently ranked in the top 20 in the world for both disciplines, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Ranked 17th in the world university rankings and having gone up six places to rank joint third in Asia this year, Tsinghua thoroughly excels in a range of academic factors, achieving particularly impeccable scores for both its academic and employer reputations.
=3. Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Location: Singapore
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore is currently placed 12th in the world university rankings and as a young research-intensive institution, has claimed first place among the world’s best young universities (under 50 years old) for five consecutive years, according to the QS Top 50 Under 50.
Also ranked joint third among the top universities in Asia, NTU performs excellently across most of the 11 indicators on the index, receiving predominantly seamless scores for those used to measure citations per paper, international research network, international faculty, inbound exchange, and outbound exchange.
2. University of Hong Kong (HKU)
Location: Hong Kong
With a history stretching back a hundred years, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is the territory’s oldest tertiary institution. It’s consistently ranked amid the world’s leading research-intensive universities, and has six subjects ranked among the top 10 worldwide, with its dentistry program having held number-one spot in the rankings by subject for three consecutive years.
Ranked 25th in the world and up three places to rank second in Asia, HKU receives high scores across all academic aspects, performing impeccably well for academic reputation, its proportion of international faculty members and international students, as well as inbound and outbound exchange students.
1. National University of Singapore (NUS)
Location: Singapore
Concluding our look at the top universities in Asia in 2019, National University of Singapore (NUS) is one of the world’s leading universities, currently placing 11th in the world university rankings. From the arts to engineering, it’s home to 17 faculties across three campuses, and with over 38,000 students from 100 countries, is well-renowned for its international approach to education and research, whilst also preserving a focus on the Asian outlook and expertise.
As number one in the Asia ranking, NUS certainly outperforms its rivals in the top 10, featuring perfect scores for nine out of the 11 indicators.
Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.
