Despite dropping from the region’s 12th spot the previous year, Universiti Malaya (UM) still reigns as the country’s highest-ranked institution, placing 15th in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026.
The country’s oldest varsity stood out in three of the 11 QS indicators, ranking 14th in Asia for Academic Reputation, 10th for Employer Reputation, and fourth for International Research Network.
Coming in second and third, respectively (see infographic), are Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) – both improving by two spots from the previous year.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) climbs to 25th, while Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) places 34th, ensuring that all five of Malaysia’s research universities are now among Asia’s top 50.
Taylor’s University achieved its best-ever result, rising to 27th, while UCSI University broke into the top 30 for the first time, reaching 30th after climbing 75 places in five years. Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) rose to 44th, Sunway University to 55th, and Universiti Utara Malaysia to 65th.
Several institutions also achieved notable improvements across specific indicators.
Al-Madinah International University ranks first in Asia for International Students, INTI International University places third and sixth for Inbound and Outbound Exchange Students, and Perdana University ranks second in Asia for Faculty-Student Ratio.
Meanwhile, Taylor’s University leads Malaysia in Citations per Paper (35th regionally), and UTP tops the country in Papers per Faculty (41st regionally).
QS said Malaysia performed strongly across nearly all academic indicators, ranking well above the regional average in nine out of 11 metrics.
QS senior vice president Ben Sowter noted that while academic and employer reputation indicators remain Malaysia’s strengths, the country’s next frontier lies in research performance, particularly in citations and publication output.
Additionally, three Malaysian universities rank among Asia’s top 10 for International Research Network – more than any other system in the region – reflecting the country’s deep engagement in global partnerships and co-authored research projects.
This international success is the result of a decade of targeted government policy to internationalise Malaysian higher education, emphasising joint research, global faculty exchanges, and partnerships across Asean, Europe and the Middle East.
Research productivity, however, remains Malaysia’s key challenge. In the Citations per Paper and Papers per Faculty indicators, only one Malaysian institution ranks within Asia’s top 100.
To sustain its upward trajectory, the report recommends that Malaysia continue to invest in research infrastructure, international co-publication, and industry collaboration.
Rankings and ratings are important indicators of progress and continuous improvement. UPM’s philosophy is to always do better. The varsity recorded its largest margin of improvement in two key indicators – Papers per Faculty and Citations per Paper – which should inspire the UPM community to continue contributing meaningfully to knowledge, the nation, the planet, and humanity.
UPM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah
This marks the highest position ever achieved by UKM in the QS rankings. It demonstrates our strong commitment to building a university of impact and purpose, one that serves the nation while contributing meaningfully to the global academic landscape. Our progress is driven by a holistic approach that fosters innovative teaching and learning, impactful research, strategic international collaborations, sustainable community and industry engagement, as well as digital empowerment.
UKM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Sufian Jusoh
UCSI’s steady rise was the result of years of hard work. The rankings are most encouraging but we must never forget the foundations we put in place – the creation of a strong research culture, the promotion of transnational networks and close partnership with the industry. By focusing on the fundamentals, UCSI has climbed more than 320 spots in nine years. We are encouraged by this and we will do more, particularly in the fields of AI, machine learning, big data and automation.
UCSI president and vice-chancellor Emerita Prof Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir
This recognition is important in strengthening Taylor’s vision for education that is both transformative and globally relevant. The continuous rise in our ranking reflects our commitment to quality education. We are dedicated to delivering excellence through a purposeful approach, ensuring every initiative, partnership and innovation is aligned with our mission to foster personal growth, societal impact and sustainable development.
Taylor’s University vice-chancellor and president Prof Dr Barry Winn
This success is in line with our internationalisation strategy, which focuses on continuous development specifically in maritime knowledge and aquatic resources. It shows that we are on the right track.
UMT vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Zamri Ibrahim
