The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been ranked among the top 20 in a global league table – the first time two of the city’s universities have achieved this simultaneously – with CUHK making significant gains in its reputation among employers.
The UK-based education information firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) also pointed out on Thursday that Hong Kong had Asia’s most improved higher education system for the second consecutive year, with seven of its previously ranked universities improving, two maintaining their positions, and none declining.
QS said Hong Kong universities were among the most improved institutions in the world this year after achieving significant gains in their research performance and reputation among employers.
In the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings 2027, HKU successfully retained its 11th place, while CUHK surged from 32nd to 18th, not only achieving a record-high position but also making the greatest leap among all institutions ranked in the top 20 and top 50.
Xiang Zhang, HKU’s president, said artificial intelligence was redefining the world and his university aimed to chart new frontiers where scientific inquiry and humanistic values thrived in harmony.
“I believe that the human spirit remains the driver of progress, and HKU is poised to realise its grandest vision: to be a world-leading university transforming humanity’s future,” QS quoted Zhang as saying in its press release.
Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, CUHK’s president, said the latest ranking marked a significant milestone in the university’s development.
“The notable rise in employer reputation underscores the effectiveness of CUHK’s collegiate system and liberal arts education, combined with the strengths of a research university,” he said, adding that the institution would strengthen its strategic partnerships with other universities, industries and government organisations.
Among all 10 indicators, CUHK’s biggest area of improvement was employer reputation, with its score jumping 8.2 points from 67.3 last year to a stellar 75.5.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) climbed 11 positions to 33rd globally.
Polytechnic University secured a historic milestone for the city by moving up four spots to claim the 50th position, becoming the fourth university ranked in the top 50. This meant Hong Kong had four universities in the elite tier for the first time in six years.
City University of Hong Kong (CityU) improved 11 places to take the 52nd spot, while Baptist University rose 28 places from 244th to 216th.
Education University, which registered the largest jump among all Hong Kong institutions, rose from 530th to 406th.
Lingnan University also improved significantly, moving out of the 701-710 band to secure 581st place.
Metropolitan University maintained its position within the 781-790 band, while Shue Yan University, a new entrant, was placed in the 1,001-1,200 band.
QS said universities in Hong Kong were strong in Citations per Faculty, which measures research impact by counting the number of citations achieved on average by an institution’s academic staff.
“CityU’s second place in Citations per Faculty is the highest in Asia and is surpassed globally only by Harvard,” it said in the press release.
QS said Hong Kong excelled in global indicators including international student and faculty ratios, but was not as strong in the area of international research collaborations.
“While Hong Kong excels in international faculty and students, and produces influential research, little of this research is conducted alongside international collaborators, as evidenced by its performance in QS’ international research network indicator. The highest ranked university in this area is HKU, which places 227th,” QS noted.
International research network is a measure of an institution’s success in creating and sustaining research partnerships with institutions in other countries.
A spokesman for the Education Bureau described the results as “outstanding” and said the achievements fully affirmed the effectiveness of the government’s sustained investment in education.
“The stellar performance of UGC-funded universities in the international rankings is by no means accidental. On one hand, it relies on the tireless efforts of all institutions to actively recruit world-class scholars and invest in infrastructure,” he said.
“On the other hand, the HKSAR Government’s stable resource investment, clear and supportive policy guidance, as well as the rigorous quality assurance.
“This year marks the beginning of the National 15th five-year plan. The formidable strength demonstrated by Hong Kong’s higher education system aligns perfectly with the strategic goals set out in the National 15th five-year plan to build a leading nation in education, technology, and talent.”
QS rates 1,500 tertiary institutions across 106 locales, assessing their academic reputation, reputation among employers, academic staff to student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, international student ratio, sustainability, employment figures and international research network.
QS said its analysis accounted for 21 million research papers, 222 million citations and 1.6 million academic survey responses, data from 8,808 institutions and insights from 121,024 academics and 69,432 employers.
Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the top spot for the 15th year in a row.
The UK’s Imperial College London was joint second with Stanford University, which climbed one spot.
The University of Oxford and Harvard University remained in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Although the National University of Singapore (NUS) retained its status as Asia’s top institution, its two-place slide to 10th globally meant the gap with 11th-ranked HKU had narrowed.
In mainland China, Peking University jumped one spot to 13th and Tsinghua University jumped from 17th to 14th.
In Australia, the University of New South Wales beat the University of Melbourne to claim the national top spot for the first time, jumping one spot to 19th.
Apart from CUHK, Yale University and Johns Hopkins University in the US were also new entries among the global top 20. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
