Look up your university’s position in the Global Rankings

Look up your university’s position in the Global Rankings

Making a choice of a university or any academic institution can be extremely challenging. It is an intelligent choice to check the QS World Rankings of your picked university given all the factors you must consider into account before choosing where you want to pursue your higher education.

What is QS ranking?

QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company that specializes in education and study abroad. QS World University Rankings is one of the most widely recognized and influential university ranking systems globally.

The rankings are based on a variety of factors that are grouped into several key categories, including:

Academic Reputation (40%):This is based on a global survey of academics who are asked to identify the institutions where they believe the best work is currently taking place within their field of expertise.

Employer Reputation (10%): This is based on a survey of employers worldwide, asking them to identify the universities that produce the best graduates.

Faculty/Student Ratio (20%): This measures the number of academic staff employed relative to the number of students enrolled.

Citations per Faculty (20%): This measures the research impact by looking at the number of times research produced by an institution is cited in academic and research publications.

International Faculty Ratio (5%): This considers the proportion of faculty members who are international.

International Student Ratio (5%): This considers the proportion of students who are international.

Students may consider QS World University Rankings for several reasons:

The QS World University Rankings is considered important for several reasons, and its influence can be attributed to the following factors:

Global Recognition:

QS Rankings are widely recognized and respected globally. Many students, parents, and academic professionals refer to these rankings to get an idea of the relative standing of universities worldwide.

Comparative Analysis:

The rankings provide a tool for prospective students, researchers, and policymakers to compare universities on a global scale. This can be particularly helpful for international students seeking to study abroad and looking for institutions with strong academic reputations.

Academic Reputation:

The QS rankings include a significant component based on academic reputation, as assessed by academics themselves. This aspect is crucial as it reflects the opinions of experts in various fields regarding the quality of research and education at different institutions.

Employer Perception:

The rankings incorporate an employer reputation indicator, reflecting how well universities are perceived by employers. This can be important for students seeking to enhance their employability upon graduation.

Research Impact:

The citation metrics in the rankings measure the impact of research produced by universities. This offers insights into the influence and significance of academic work conducted at different institutions.

Internationalization:

QS Rankings include indicators related to international faculty and student ratios, highlighting the global diversity of a university. For students seeking a multicultural environment, these indicators can be valuable.

Use in Decision-Making:

The rankings are often used by policymakers and government officials to inform decisions related to higher education funding, policies, and collaborations. The global perspective offered by these rankings can influence strategic planning in the education sector.

Marketing and Recruitment:

High rankings can serve as a marketing tool for universities, helping them attract international students, faculty, and research collaborations. Institutions ranked highly often use their standing to showcase their academic excellence.

While the QS World University Rankings provide valuable information, it’s essential to consider them alongside other factors such as program offerings, location, campus culture, and personal preferences. No single ranking system captures all aspects of a university, and individuals should conduct thorough research and consider their unique needs when making decisions about higher education.

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’.  

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
8. 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
5. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
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

1. Harvard University
2. University of Oxford
3. Johns Hopkins University

       4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) &  Stanford University

5. University of Cambridge
6. Imperial College London
7. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
8. UCL
9. Karolinska Institute

     10.University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Natural Sciences

1. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
3. University of Cambridge
4. Stanford University
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

1. Harvard University
2. University of Oxford
3. Stanford University
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
5. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
6. University of Cambridge
7. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
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 QS 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.