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University of Oxford Is Number One in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 as Asia Enters Top 20 For The First Time and COVID-19 Threatens Perfect Storm for UK Higher Education
Times Higher Education (THE), has today announced the results of its World University Rankings 2021, which underline the shifting strength of higher education and research around the world. The UK's University of Oxford claims top spot for the 5th consecutive year, while US domination of the top 10 masks wider decline, and mainland China's Tsinghua University becomes the first ever Asian university to break into the top 20 since the current methodology launched in 2011.
Notwithstanding the success story of the University of Oxford , the UK's status as a higher education superpower is under challenge, as institutions from Asia continue to impress. Of the UK's 20 highest ranked institutions last year, only five were able to improve their position in the table and institutions outside of the top 200 show signs of decline.
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The US also sees the challenge from Asia affecting its performance. Its universities continue to perform well at the top end of the ranking, commanding the highest number of positions in the overall top 10 (8) since the rankings began, as the University of California, Berkeley , climbs 6 places, from joint 13 to 7 . However, 50% of the US's top 20 performing universities from last year's ranking fail to maintain their position. Over the past five years, the US has lost 4 positions in the overall top 200 (63 in 2016, 59 in 2021) as competition rises for the top places.
A survey of 200 global university leaders – conducted earlier this year and focused on understanding the perceived impact of Covid-19 on global higher education – reinforces the challenges facing the west as UK and US leaders overwhelmingly agree that they will be able to recruit fewer international students (UK 67% agree, US 92%) and this could have a significant negative effect on their institution's finances (UK 71% agree, US 64%). Perhaps most worrying is the belief of UK and US leaders that the impact of Covid-19 is likely to result in institutions going bankrupt (UK 81% agree, US 92%). This is in contrast to the belief of Asian university leaders ( South Asia 27% agree, East Asia 17%, Japan 7% and China 0%).
The UK is at particular risk from the failure to secure international student fees, as the THE World University Rankings show that 25 of its 29 universities in the top 200 have low overall institutional income and very high numbers of international students compared to their global counterparts.
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Asia's rise is fronted by mainland China's Tsinghua University (joint 20 ), which becomes the first Asian university ever to break into the THE World University Rankings top 20 since the current methodology launched in 2011. This achievement is an indicator of the wider positive movements in higher education for mainland China , and the rest of Asia in recent years. Since 2016, mainland China has gained 5 additional places in the top 200 (2 in 2016, 7 in 2021). It has also doubled its representation in the top 100 since last year, gaining 3 additional places (6 in total). Of the 7 universities that achieved a top 200 place in 2020, 85% improved their position in 2021, as mainland China continues to challenge the world's very best.
In total, there are 16 Asian universities in the top 100, the highest total for Asia since the rankings began. Mainland China's Fudan University (joint 70 ), Zhejiang University (joint 94 ), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (100 , and South Korea's Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (96 ), all move into the elite group. Of those 16 institutions, 13 of them either improved or maintained their position from last year, demonstrating the rising competition from Asia at the expense of western higher education systems.
In terms of top 200 representation, the US dominates (59), with the United Kingdom (29) and Germany (21) following in second and third. Overall, European representation is in a steady decline, losing 9 places in the past 5 years (105 in 2016, 96 in 2021). This is a result of China , Australia , South Korea , Hong Kong , and Canada all gaining positions in the same period. However, it is not all doom and gloom for Europe , as Germany's top five performing universities in the 2021 ranking all improve or equal their 2020 ranking positions.
About the World University Rankings and Methodology
THE Global Leaders Survey Responses
Table: Top 200 – THE World University Rankings 2021
Table: Full UK Results – THE World University Rankings 2021
Chart: Downward Trend of UK universities ranked 200+ in the THE World University Ranking 2016
Chart: International Student v Institutional Income
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Harry Huskisson
Head of Communications, THE
communications@timeshighereducation.com
07471 355250