times higher education world university rankings by subject 2023

• Share on twitter
• Share on facebook

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject released

• Share on linkedin
• Share on mail

UK and Saudi Arabia make gains while US stagnates in the World University Rankings 2023 by subject

# THE UniRankings #WUR2023

• The number of US universities in the top 10 of several subject rankings has dropped , including Business and economics, and Clinical and health
• UK increases its representation in the top 10 of a number of subject rankings
• Saudi Arabia increases its representation across several subject rankings, including Computer science, Engineering and Physical sciences
• The US tops 9 of the 11 subject rankings and the UK tops 2 of the rankings
• In 4 of the subject rankings, the US and the UK are the only 2 nations represented in the top 10: Arts and humanities, Life sciences, Psychology and Social sciences
• Europe is the most represented continent in the top 300 for all subject rankings, followed by North America
• The US and the UK are the 2 most dominant countries across the top 300 for all subject rankings
• Spain is the country that has most improved its representation in the top 300 for Education and Law rankings since last year , 10 universities ranked up from 5, and 22 up from 14 respectively
• Times Higher Education has assessed university excellence across 11 separate subject areas, using the same trusted, rigorous and comprehensive combination of 13 performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings

Please note: if you reproduce these rankings or any part, please attribute to “ Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject”, and link to the full list of the relevant subject rankings on our website (scroll down for links to each subject ranking and its relevant methodology).

Times Higher Education ( THE ) has today released the results of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject with the UK and Saudi Arabia making gains, while the US experiences a number of drops at the top of the tables. The UK’s King’s College London joins the top 10 in Clinical and health, and in Psychology. In Computer science, Saudi Arabia now has five universities in the top 300, up from two last year.

Meanwhile, in the US, Johns Hopkins University has fallen out of the top 10 in Clinical and health to 11th place, down from joint ninth last year, and in Engineering, the US has nine fewer universities in the top 300, 76 down from 85. This US trend mirrors what happened in the World University Rankings 2023, released earlier this month, where, despite still dominating the table in terms of overall representation, the US had some siginificant falls.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 by subject is compiled from data taken from the THE World University Rankings 2023. The subject tables employ the same range of 13 performance indicators used in the overall World University Rankings 2023, brought together with scores provided under five categories. However, the overall methodology is carefully recalibrated for each subject, with the weightings changed to suit the individual fields.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings provide a rigorous overview of a university’s quality, drawing on an analysis of 15.5 million research publications and 121 million citations to those publications, plus over 40,000 responses to an annual academic reputation survey and hundreds of thousands of additional data points covering a university’s teaching environment, international outlook and industry links. A record number of 1,799 universities from 104 countries and regions are included in the World Rankings this year.

Scroll down for top 10 tables for each subject ranking and links to full results tables and methodologies.

Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer, Times Higher Education , commented:  

“The THE World University Rankings by Subject provide further evidence of a clear trend we saw in the overall World Rankings earlier this month: the traditional dominance of the US in world higher education and research is waning. It has been widely pointed out that federal spending on Research and Development in the US, as a proportion of total spending, is at a seven-decade low and we have witnessed worrying de-funding of America’s great state universities around the nation. It looks like this is all starting to take its toll on the US’ global competitiveness in research and innovation.

“Meanwhile, East Asian nations, led by China, and countries in the Middle East, led by Saudi Arabia, continue to strengthen in key areas. A stand-out winner emerging from our new data release is Saudi Arabia – its improvements in key strategic subject areas, including Computer Science, Engineering and Physical Sciences is particularly noteworthy, as a national commitment to invest in research and education as part of the national strategic Vision2030 starts to really pay off.

“The THE World University Rankings by Subject are based on the same 13 rigorous and balanced performance indicators as the overall World University Rankings – giving rich data insights into a university’s teaching, research, interactions with industry and its international competitiveness – but for each of the 11 separate subject areas, the methodology has been carefully recalibrated with different weightings to reflect the different characteristics of the subject area.”

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Arts and humanities top 10

• Hong Kong Polytechnic University enters the top 100 in 73rd place , up from group band 101-125
• The US and the UK are the only two countries represented in the top 10
• Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand joins the top 175 in group band 151-175, up from 201-250
• US representation in the top 300 has decreased with 61 universities ranked, down from 67

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Arts and humanities

View the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Arts and humanities methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Business and economics top 10

• China rises to the top 10 for the first time as Tsinghua university climbs to 8th place from 11th
• China is now the third most represented country in the top 300
• Duke University in the US drops out of the top 10 to 17th place, down from 10th
• King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia climbs into the top 100 in joint 63rd place , up from group band 126-150

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Business and economics

View the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Business and economics methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Clinical and health top 10

• The UK’s King’s College London re-joins the top 10 in 10th place, up from 12th
• Johns Hopkins University in the US drops out of the top 10 into 11th place, down from joint 9th
• The UK takes five of the top 10 spots , up from four last year
• Iran has five universities ranked in the top 300 , up from one last year
• Italy has nine universities ranked in the top 300 , up from six

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Clinical and health

View the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Clinical and health methodology  

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Computer science top 10

• Germany re-joins the top 10 as Technical University of Munich rises to 10th place, up from 14th
• Saudi Arabia has five universities represented in the top 300, up from two
• China has lost three universities from the top 300, 17 down from 20
• Monash University in Australia leaps forward to 57th place, up from joint 93rd
• Yonsei University (Seoul campus) in South Korea climbs into the top 100 at joint 82nd place, up from group band 176-200

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Computer science

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Computer science methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Education top 10

• Michigan State University in the US joins the top 10 in 9th place , up from 12th
• University of Antwerp in Belgium joins the top 100 in the 61st spot , up from 101-125
• Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University leaps forward to 82nd place to join the top 100, up from group band 301-400
• Sorbonne University in France debuts in the top 100 in 92nd place , up from 201-250
• University of Tartu in Estonia rises into the top 300 in group band 251-300, up from 401-500
• UK loses 5 universities from the top 300 with 39 universities ranked, down from 44

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Education

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Education methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Engineering top 10

• Saudi Arabia has increased its representation in the top 300 with seven universities ranked, up from four
• The UK has 37 universities in the top 300 , up from 34
• The US has lost 9 universities from the top 300 with 76 universities represented, down from 85
• Sichuan University in China joins the top 100 in 66th place , up from group band 151-175
• Italy’s Politecnico di Milano leaps forward to joint 74th place , up from 96th

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Engineering

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Engineering methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Law top 10

• The University of Chicago in the US re-joins the top 10 , rising to 10th place from 13th
• Italy’s University of Bologna leaps into the top 50 in 39th place, up from group band 101-125
• Northwestern University in the US drops out of the top 100 into group band 101-125, down from 45th place
• University of Sheffield in the UK falls out of the top 100 into group band 101-125, down from joint 64th place
• University of Gothenburg in Sweden joins the top 100 in joint 90th place , up from group band 176-200

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Law

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Law methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Life sciences top 10

• US dominates the top 10, filling 8 of the spots and topping the ranking with Harvard University
• China makes progress, edging closer to the top 10 as Tsinghua University rises to 11th place from 13th, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University joins the top 100 in 67th place, up from group band 151-175
• Four UK universities lose their top 100 spots: University of Aberdeen (101-125, down from 95), University of Birmingham (101-125, down from joint 86), University of East Anglia (101-125, down from joint 92) and University of Leeds (101-125, down from joint 96)
• Germany drops four universities from the top 300 with 26 universities represented, down from 30

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Life sciences

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Life sciences methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Physical sciences top 10

• Switzerland is the only country outside of the UK and the US to make the top 10 , with ETH Zurich ranked in 9th position
• Saudi Arabia has increased its representation in the top 300 with six universities ranked , up from two last year
• King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia joins the top 50 in 47th place , up from joint 90th
• The US has four fewer universities in the top 300 – 74 universities, down from 78

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Physical sciences

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Physical sciences methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Psychology top 10

• The UK’s King’s College London enters the top 10 in 8th position, up from 12th
• The University of Chicago in the US drops out of the top 10 in 12th place , down from 7th
• National University of Singapore joins the top 50 in joint 48th place , up from 58th
• Monash University in Australia jumps forward to 54th place and joins the top 100 (up from group band 151-175)
• Spain loses 3 universities from the top 300 with 4 universities represented, down from 7

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Psychology

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Psychology methodology

THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Social sciences top 10

• Yale University in the US re-joins the top 10 in 10th position, up from 11th
• University of Oxford, UK, loses its top spot and drops to 3rd place
• Austria’s University of Vienna joins the top 50 by jumping forward to joint 40th place, up from 65th
• Universiti Utara Malaysia enters the top 250 in group band 201-250, up from 401-500
• Middle East Technical University in Turkey joins the top 300 in group band 251-300, up from 401-500

View the full ranking of the THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject: Social sciences

View the THE Wo rld University Rankings 2023 by subject: Social sciences methodology

For any queries please contact:  [email protected]

Featured jobs

tree-logo-small-v2.png

• Research trends reports
• Tips & Tricks

You are here

Search this blog, get our newsletter.

Follow Scopus

• Content (59)
• Metrics (44)
• Release (36)
• Tips and Tricks (26)
• SciVal (18)

Recent Posts

• Changes to Scopus Open Access (OA) document tagging
• A.T. Still University Scopus and Digital Commons case study now available!
• Meet the CSAB: Professor & Subject Chair Jaya Raju
• Scopus Institutional Profile Wizard user interface redesign
• Scopus AI: How curated, enriched and connected data enhance research insights Webinar

Times Higher Education 2023 World Rankings Released

Time Higher Education (THE) released their 2023 World University Rankings today.   Click here to visit the THE World University Rankings site .   Elsevier is a proud partner of Times Higher Education, supplying the bibliometric dataset based on Scopus data for the 2023 THE World University Rankings.  If you have ever wondered how Scopus data is used in the rankings methodology, keep reading and take time to look at the resources shared below. 

THEscreencap.jpg

Scopus data is organized in a structured way so you (and Times Higher Education) can use it to uncover insights about global research. A key to that structure is organizing of the data based on the relationships between authors and institutions; this relationship relies on the accuracy of Scopus author and institutional profiles.  Elsevier provides THE with a bibliometric dataset based on publications in a five-year window and citations in a six-year window.  Elsevier provides a 5-year Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) metric for the Citations (research influence), the number of publications for the research productivity indicator and the proportion of the university’s total relevant publications that have at least one international co-author for the International Collaboration indicator.  

The Elsevier Partnership with THE Goes Beyond Scopus  

Use of Scopus data allows Elsevier to provide THE with a robust bibliometric dataset they can use with confidence when completing their Rankings methodology. The bibliometrics dataset provided to THE is also available to analyze in SciVal through the Rankings analysis feature of the Overview module. This provides SciVal users access to the actual bibliometrics used in the THE World University Rankings so they can: 

• Analyse, understand and generate insights based on the actual FWCI and Citation Scores used in 30% of the THE WUR, rather than proxies developed in-house 
• Benchmark at the THE subject level for deeper understanding of your university’s position and to inform faculty and department level plans 
• Analyse, benchmark, and produce peer comparison reports across all bibliometric drivers directly in the Benchmarking module 
• Analyse the trends in the bibliometric drivers to enrich your understanding and inform plans accordingly  
• Remove the need for manual curation and the development of proxy indicators 

To learn more about THE Rankings and Elsevier solutions, look at: 

Understanding Scopus & SciVal and the Times Higher Education   

GLOBAL 2000 LIST BY THE CENTER FOR WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS

20,531 institutions were ranked, and those that placed at the top made the Global 2000 list.

Copyright © 2012-2024 Center for World University Rankings

• Skip to main content
• All Articles
• Study abroad info Articles
• Study abroad info Destination guides

• Choosing a subject
• Applying to a university
• Financing your studies
• Getting your visa
• Before you leave
• Housing & accommodation
• Once you arrive
• Post-study life

2023 THE World University Rankings: quick summary

Our quick summary of Times Higher Education World Rankings 2023 highlights all international students need to know when choosing a top university to study abroad.

The recent release of  Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023  is the largest ranking of its kind, covering 1,799 universities across 104 countries. Every year, organizations, universities, and students from all over the world wait nervously for the results of these rankings. They help international students review, compare, and select the best university for them in the country of their choice.

Although the top 25 to 50, or even top 100, are considered the best, any university found in these extensive rankings has something to offer anyone wanting to secure a good education and a successful career.

What is the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023?

It’s a yearly report by the Times Higher Education Magazine . They are also known as the THE Rankings 2023. THE publishes the rankings of nearly 1800 universities across over 100 countries worldwide.

Are the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 reliable?

Can you trust these rankings? Absolutely. Their methodology is robust, transparent and reliable. Universities around the world rely on THE Rankings and are quick to share their THE Rankings in their websites and social media platforms.

What are the THE Rankings based on?

The  methodology  behind the Rankings is data-driven, thorough and validated. Each institution is evaluated using 13 performance indicators which are grouped into these five main areas:

• Teaching 30 per cent (reputation, number of students to staff ratio, doctorate to bachelor’s ratio)
• Research 30 per cent (reputation, research income, research productivity)
• Citations 30 per cent (research influence)
• International outlook 7.5 per cent (proportion of international students, proportion of international staff, international collaboration)
• Industry Income 2.5 per cent (knowledge transfer)

To be included in the THE Rankings, institutions must fulfil the following criteria:

• Publish more than 1,000 publications over the past five years and more than 150 relevant publications in one year.
• Teach at the undergraduate level.
• Not be focused only on one subject area.
• Give overall numbers for the year.
• Not have more than two of the critical values (see above) as null/zero.
• Mark at least one subject as applicable.
• Not be in the custom exclusions list. 

What information does the THE Rankings 2023 give?

You can use filters to refine your search in the THE Rankings. You can view universities ranking by:

• overall – showing the above five areas mentioned above
• country/region

Which university is top of THE Rankings 2023?

University of Oxford , UK is in first place for the seventh year in a row.

*FTE – full-time equivalency

 What universities are in the top 10?

The top 10 in the THE World University Rankings 2023 are:

THE World University Rankings 2023 Summary

In summary, the top two universities maintain their top-ranking positions, with the University of Oxford ranking in first place (for the seventh year in a row) and Harvard University in second place. The University of Cambridge, however, has jumped from fifth place in 2022 to joint third place in 2023. 

The USA continues to have the greatest number of universities (64%) in the top 25. However, when it comes to research and industry income (see an explanation of these below), Chinese universities are leading the way. 

Another important highlight is that five African countries have joined THE World University Rankings 2023 for the first time. These are Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Mauritius.

It’s important to review other industry rankings to help you make a more informed decision about your future studies.

• QS World University Rankings 2023
• Complete University Guide League Tables 2023
• Employability Rankings

What is a university prospectus?

Part of the package of being an international student is spending time researching and evaluating your university options. You’ll be looking for the most up to date information on courses, degrees, fees, accommodation and everything you can expect at a particular university. It’s good to have all of this information in one document, which is why a university prospectus is important. We explore what a university prospectus is, why they’re important and how you can

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

Not sure where to study? The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 can help. Now in its 20th year, the list compares almost 2,000 universities from more than 100 regions and countries, providing you with one of the most respected reviews of higher education institutions around the world. Wherever you are looking to apply, this can be a great support to your decision-making. Find out how as we explore the latest THE Rankings .  

The top 10 reasons to study abroad

Why study abroad? 5.3 million international students choose to study abroad each year (UNESCO 2019). This leads us to wonder, why do so many students study outside of their home country? In this article, we explore some of the top reasons why students choose to qualify abroad. This list should help you decide on your next steps in higher education. Whether you’re thinking about studying at the undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD level, use our list of the top 10

How to compare universities?

When researching universities, you can’t help but compare and that’s a great way to find what’s right for you. By considering the pros and cons of each institution you are interested in, you will gradually discover what matters to you most. For example, has the university heavily invested in sports facilities or do they provide work placements and study abroad options?   You need to think about what matters most to you. Perhaps you have several

Get in touch

These are the best universities in the world for 2023 – and the balance is shifting

With Saudi Arabia and UAE featuring in the list of the best universities in the world by Times Higher Education, we await a new renaissance driven by innovation and knowledge creation, backed by investment. Image:  Photo by Pixabay

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Phil Baty

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Education is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:.

Listen to the article

• The US share of the 100 best universities in the world is declining, while that of East Asian nations and universities in the Middle East is on the up.
• Saudi Arabia and UAE are leading what some call a new renaissance driven by innovation and knowledge creation, backed by investment.
• Fears remain that rising geopolitical tensions and mistrust hamper global research excellence.

The geopolitics of knowledge is shifting. The 19th annual edition of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings , published on 12 October, demonstrates an accelerating trend: the US’s share of the world’s top 100 universities is declining, while that of East Asian nations, led by China, and universities in the Middle East is on the rise.

Have you read?

4 trends that will shape the future of higher education, these 12 innovators are transforming the future of education, a view from china on the future of innovation and education.

In 2018, the US boasted close to half of the world’s top 100 positions in the world rankings, with 43 universities. In today’s edition, the US has just 34, as household names like Dartmouth College, and great regional powerhouse universities including Ohio State and Michigan State lose their top 100 status.

Meanwhile, mainland China’s share of the world top 100 positions has risen from just two in 2018, to an impressive seven today. Hong Kong has a further five top 100 institutions, up from just three in 2018.

South Korea has three top 100 places, up from two in 2018. Singapore and Japan both takes two top 100 places each.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are leading what some are calling a new renaissance driven by innovation and knowledge creation, backed by heavy investment. Saudi’s King Abdulaziz University is one of the fastest-rising universities in the world, rocketing to 101st position this year from 190th last year, and the Kingdom is the most improved nation, by national average score, in the world rankings this year. In the UAE, of the six UAE universities included in the overall world rankings for 2023, five are on the rise – led by the United Arab Emirates University and the University of Sharjah, which have both surged this year into the world's top 300 list.

Shifts in global innovation and knowledge economy

The Times Higher Education’s (THE) world ranking has become a closely watched barometer of the shifts in the global innovation and knowledge economy, supporting governments policymaking and university leaders’ strategic decisions, as well as supporting millions of internationally-mobile students to decide on who to trust with their education.

The World University Rankings are based on 13 separate performance metrics , covering the full range of internationally-focussed research universities’ core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The 2023 edition is based on an analysis of over 15.5 million research publications – and over 112 million citations to those publications – as well as a survey of more than 40,000 academics worldwide on the international academic reputation of each school, on top of data on institutional income and faculty demographics, including international talent recruitment and research collaboration.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has presented the Middle East and North Africa with unprecedented challenges that need to be solved through community innovation, collaboration and technology.

Together with the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), we have selected the 100 most promising Arab start-ups shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution in 2019.

Entrepreneurs and start-ups are playing a key role in facilitating new ideas, strategies and progress in society – and need to be given a greater platform to meet the region’s most pressing challenges.

Our 2019 selection builds on the success of the 100 Arab start-ups initiative that began in 2017, working to integrate the Arab world's most promising start-up entrepreneurs into a national and regional dialogue on pressing challenges.

You can contribute to improving the Arab region’s future and solving its unprecedented challenges by partnering with us .

Read more about the 100 Arab start-ups selected for 2019 in our Impact Story .

So, should the data be a cause for alarm for the US and its Western allies in an increasingly polarised world? No, says Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University of Oxford, because there are simply more outstanding universities in the world and a rising tide lifts all boats.

“There’s no evidence that US research is weakening in an absolute sense,” Marginson told Times Higher Education. “This continues to be the most prestigious system in the world.”

But where there is cause for mounting concern is in the fear that increasing geopolitical tensions and mistrust means the world as a whole does not fully benefit from the overall boom in global research excellence, as systems retreat into nationalism and knowledge sharing shrinks back.

For example, while China’s universities excel and rise up the rankings, their scores for international research collaboration and their share of international talent are in decline. “It would be regrettable if the growth of foreigners working in higher education in China has stopped as the engagement is good for everyone,” Marginson told THE. “However, it would be unsurprising, as we are now in a more conflictual era in the geopolitics of higher education.”

Top of the (university) class

Top of the World University Rankings for the seventh consecutive year, is a university renowned for its international knowledge sharing – the UK’s University of Oxford. Oxford is followed by Harvard University in second, while the University of Cambridge (up from 5th) and Stanford University (up from 4th) share third place. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology holds fifth place.

In a further nod to the US decline, the University of Chicago has lost its world top-10 place, falling to 13th, with the UK’s Imperial College London taking its place, moving up from 12th last year, to 10th in 2023.

Oxford’s vice chancellor Louise Richardson said in a statement: “My colleagues and I are absolutely delighted that for the seventh consecutive year Oxford has been named the top university in the world. I am very grateful to those who work on compiling these rankings which prove so helpful to universities. Above all, I am indebted to the extraordinary women and men of Oxford whose research and teaching continues to excite our imaginations, broaden our horizons, cure disease and explore deeply difficult problems for the betterment of society. I am so proud to be associated with them.”

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:

The agenda .chakra .wef-n7bacu{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-weight:400;} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Education .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

How boosting women’s financial literacy could help you live a long, fulfilling life 

Morgan Camp

April 9, 2024

How universities can use blockchain to transform research

Scott Doughman

March 12, 2024

Empowering women in STEM: How we break barriers from classroom to C-suite

Genesis Elhussein and Julia Hakspiel

March 1, 2024

Why we need education built for peace – especially in times of war

February 28, 2024

These 5 key trends will shape the EdTech market upto 2030

Malvika Bhagwat

February 26, 2024

With Generative AI we can reimagine education — and the sky is the limit

Oguz A. Acar

February 19, 2024

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

University of Reading Cookie Policy

We use cookies on reading.ac.uk to improve your experience. Find out more about our cookie policy . By continuing to use our site you accept these terms, and are happy for us to use cookies to improve your browsing experience.

Continue using the University of Reading website

Reading in top 200 for THE World University Rankings 2023

12 October 2022

A jump in research reputation has put the University of Reading into the global top 200 universities, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023 out today [12 October].

This year’s league table ranks Reading at joint 198 out of 1,799 participating universities worldwide, up from its 201-250 position last year.

Reading’s UK ranking rose three places to joint 26, out of 103 institutions.

Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “The University of Reading has been improving in many of the measures used by the THE World University Rankings for the last few years, and it is great to once again be ranked among the top 200 universities in the world.

“We’ve seen notable rises this year in the measures of research and industry income, with a particular leap in our research reputation. This reflects the hard work of colleagues across the University who conduct and communicate our world-class research, and demonstrates that our research is seen as being among the very best, among academia and industry alike.”

Reading made improvements in nine of the 13 measures, which score universities on their teaching and research reputation, research income and international outlook, among other metrics.

Reading’s biggest improvement this year was in the research reputation metric, which contributed to a rise in the overall research ranking to 245, up 21 places from 266 last year. Research reputation is measured via a global survey of thousands of leading academics, who are asked to name the world’s leading institutions in their field.

Industry income also saw a rise, up 27 places to 734. Other notable improvements were achieved in scores for teaching reputation and all individual metrics for international outlook.

Subjects A-B

• Agriculture
• Ancient History
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Architecture
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biomedical Sciences
• Building and Surveying
• Business and Management

Subjects C-E

• Classics and Classical Studies
• Climate Science
• Computer Science
• Construction Management
• Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
• Creative Writing
• Criminology
• Engineering
• English Language and Applied Linguistics
• English Literature
• Environment

Subjects F-G

• Film & Television
• Foundation programmes
• Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

• International Development
• International Foundation Programme (IFP)
• International Relations
• Languages and Cultures
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Medical Sciences
• Meteorology and Climate
• Microbiology
• Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

• Pharmacology
• Physician Associate Studies
• Politics and International Relations
• Real Estate and Planning
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Surveying and Construction
• Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

• Wildlife Conservation

Subjects A-C

• Business (Post-Experience)
• Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
• Classics and Ancient History
• Construction Management and Engineering
• Consumer Behaviour
• Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

• Data Science
• Energy and Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Sciences
• Film, Theatre and Television
• Food and Nutritional Sciences
• Geography and Environmental Science
• Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

• Information Management and Digital Business
• Information Technology
• International Development and Applied Economics
• Physician Associate
• Project Management
• Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

• Social Policy
• Strategic Studies
• Teacher training
• Typography and Graphic Communication
• War and Peace Studies
• Architectural Engineering
• Bioveterinary Sciences

We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2025/26 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2024/25 courses.

Rankings released! QS World University Rankings: by Subject 2023

This year’s QS World University Rankings: by Subject evaluates over 1,500 institutions across 54 different subjects , grouped into five faculty (broad subject ) areas . Now in its 13th iteration, the ranking evaluates institutions’ academic performance in certain fields, to give students and institution’s insight into a programme’s strengths, as well as what might need to be prioritised to achieve a better study experience.

Notable features of the QS World University Rankings: by Subject 2023 include:

• Six of the 10 most improved programmes are hosted by institutions in the Arab Region: Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Qatar and Jordan.
• Three new subjects have been evaluated: Data Science, Art History and Marketing.
• US institutions lead in an impressive 32 subjects. Among the top-performing institutions, Harvard University ranks first across 14 subjects – two more than last year’s results.
• The University of Oxford dominated four of the top 15 subject tables including ‘Anatomy and Physiology’, ‘Anthropology’ and ‘English language and Literature’ – while the University of Cambridge dominated two: ‘Archaeology’ and ‘Modern Languages’.  
• The H-index (a metric that measures both the science productivity and impact of published work from an institution ) ranks Australia fourth among the most impactful research locations worldwide.

Ben Sowter, QS Senior Vice President, said: “This subject ranking is the largest ever and provides an ever-deeper understanding of how rankings success is achieved. Sustained targeted investment and international collaboration are consistently pillars on which progress can be made. Meanwhile, improving relationships with industry correlates with better employment, research, and innovation outcomes.”

Check out the top 10 institutions globally with the leading academic programmes below:

Arts and Humanities

1. Harvard University

2. University of Cambridge

3. University of Oxford

4. Stanford University

5. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

6. Yale University

7= Columbia University

7= New York University (NYU)

9. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

10. The University of Edinburgh

Engineering and Technology

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

2. Stanford University

3. University of Cambridge

4. University of Oxford

6. Imperial College London

7. ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

8. Harvard University

9. Tsinghua University

10. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Life Sciences and Medicine

2. University of Oxford

3. Johns Hopkins University

4= Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

4= Stanford University

5. University of Cambridge

7. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

10= Karolinska Institute

10= University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Natural Sciences

1.Harvard University

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

5. University of Oxford

6. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

7. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

8. ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

9. Imperial College London

10. Princeton University

Social Sciences and Management

3. Stanford University

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

5. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

6. University of Cambridge

8. Yale University

9. University of Chicago

10. Columbia University

To learn more about this year’s edition of the QS World University Rankings: by Subject 2023, download the March edition of Q S Insights Magazine: Swimming with Sharks.

This edition features ‘ The Rankings Supplement’, in which Drew MacFarlane, QS Rankings Manager, explores interesting trends in the QS Subject Rankings, showcases specialised institutions and highlights emerging fields such as Data Science, Marketing, and Dentistry. 

Access the QS Insights Magazine here

Related QS Insights

Priorities for uk universities in navigating sector uncertainty.

Building Scotland’s reputation as a thriving international study destination

Why is reputation important to universities?

Rankings vs Ratings: What’s the difference?

Sign up for industry insights

Receive the latest insights, expertise and commentary on the topics which matter most in higher education, straight to your inbox.

The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

Singapore's nus-ntu top in asian university rankings in 2024, says quacquarelli symonds.

Singapore's top two universities have been rated top in Asia, beating the Chinese, Japanese and Hong Kong higher learning institutions. The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have again emerged as the top universities in Asia based on global rankings by subjects, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday.

Read More News on

Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

Dimon says US stock exchanges have too few companies. India has a different problem

How this Indian state is showing the way to treat cancer patients

Where did it all go wrong for Ola Cabs' international business?

Here is what it takes to get a job at an Apple supplier

India is abandoning this healthy habit in droves

Meesho is taking a road less travelled to keep up in its fight with Amazon, Flipkart

Find this comment offensive?

Choose your reason below and click on the Report button. This will alert our moderators to take action

Reason for reporting:

Your Reason has been Reported to the admin.

To post this comment you must

Log In/Connect with:

Fill in your details:

Will be displayed

Will not be displayed

Share this Comment:

Stories you might be interested in

The Straits Times

• International
• Print Edition
• news with benefits
• SPH Rewards
• STClassifieds
• Berita Harian
• Hardwarezone
• Shin Min Daily News
• SRX Property
• Tamil Murasu
• The Business Times
• The New Paper
• Lianhe Zaobao
• Advertise with us

NUS and NTU top Asian universities in subject rankings again

SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have again emerged as the top universities in Asia based on global rankings by subjects.

The 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject, released on April 10, had 408 Asian universities among over 1,500 institutions worldwide.  

NUS and NTU ranked higher than Chinese, Japanese and Hong Kong universities in terms of the number of top 10 programmes and have done so since at least 2021.

NTU was the country’s most represented institution with 45 subject entries, of which 10 were in the world’s top 10. These included subjects like communication and media studies, materials science and three engineering disciplines.

NUS had 44 ranked subjects, with 19 in the top 10, including history of art – which placed second behind Britain’s Royal College of Art – geography and marketing.

Dr Priya M. Jaradi, course convener for the art history minor at NUS’ department of history, said the history of art programme has “moved away from” standard textbooks and teaching collections.

“The courses are highly original and inclusive... they are recalibrated regularly to respond to the changing landscape of geopolitics, climate and migration, among other issues which have a bearing on art and museums.”

In the 2023 rankings, 14 subjects from NUS and five from NTU made it to the global top 10 lists.

An NTU spokesperson said: “With 32 subjects in the global top 50, NTU’s strong showing in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject is a testimony of NTU’s position as a leading global university.

“It reaffirms NTU’s commitment to nurture graduates in an academically enriching environment, taught by faculty (members) who are at the forefront of their fields.”

NUS provost Aaron Thean said the 2024 rankings mark the highest number of subject placings in the global top 10 for the university in the past five years.

He said: “It attests to the university’s commitment to academic excellence and... dedication to interdisciplinary education, equipping our students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.”

Singapore Management University’s business and management studies was placed 44th in the rankings.  

The rankings, compiled by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, are based on an analysis of nearly 16,000 university departments in 104 locations worldwide.

With 64 per cent of its previously ranked entries moving up the table, the Republic had significant improvement in academic reputation.

This reputation, one of the indicators used in the rankings, was drawn from responses by 130,000 academics who listed institutions which they considered to be excellent in research in a given area.

The other indicators included research citations and employer reputation, in which 75,000 employers worldwide were asked to identify institutions they considered excellent for the recruitment of graduates.

QS senior vice-president Ben Sowter said the 2024 surge in rankings signals a significant recovery for Singapore after a brief stagnation in the previous year.

“Its historic success and most likely its impressive turnaround is largely attributable to a decade-long commitment to strategic investments and planning,” he said.

He added that the Singapore institutions will, however, face challenges of maintaining growth that is sustainable. “As a recognised hub of academic excellence, Singapore also faces heightened competition from regional players, including emerging economies looking to replicate its successful model.”

British universities topped the latest rankings in 16 subjects, with the University of Oxford leading in four. They also boast the world’s highest concentration of programmes ranked in the world’s top three.

Universities in the US led in 32 subjects in the 2024 rankings. Harvard University was the world’s strongest-performing institution, ranking first in 19 disciplines. It was followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which led in 11 subjects.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

• Universities - Singapore

Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

Spin the wheel now

• Education News

QS World University Rankings 2024 by Subject: 69 Indian Universities Make it to Global Ranking List

Visual Stories