Universiti Malaya (UM) recorded a strong and broad-based performance in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2026, led by a significant improvement in Education Studies, which reentered the global Top 100.
In the latest edition, released on Jan 21, Education Studies leapt from the 101-125 band to the Top 80, marking a notable milestone and reaffirming the varsity’s strength in teacher education, educational development and policy-relevant research, UM said in a press release.
In addition, the varsity achieved one-band improvements in four other subject areas: Arts and Humanities (from 251-300 to 201-250); Business and Economics (from 126-150 to 101-125); Law (from 151-175 to 126-150); and Social Sciences (from 201-250 to 176-200).
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of the university community and its unwavering commitment to continuously and consistently strive for improvements in all areas.
“The reentry of Education Studies into the global Top 100 is a significant achievement for UM and reflects our sustained commitment to academic excellence and societal impact, with the ultimate objective of empowering the next chapter of growth for the nation and humanity,” he said in the press release.
“The overall improvements across multiple subjects further affirm the effectiveness and strategic importance of our multi-pronged focus on quality teaching, impactful research and global contributions,” he added.
Meanwhile, UM maintained its global positions in several strategic disciplines, namely, Computer Science, Engineering, Medical and Health, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Psychology, reflecting consistency in academic performance, research impact and international outlook.
The overall results demonstrate UM’s continued progress in strengthening subject-level performance through focused academic strategies, enhanced research quality and sustained international engagement, the press release read.
