PETALING JAYA: Universiti Malaya (UM) has entered the world’s top 200 universities for the first time, rising to 194th in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027.
The university climbed from the 201–250 band in 2026, making it the highest-ranked Malaysian institution in the history of the rankings.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) retained its position in the 201–250 band, while Sunway University climbed to 283rd, up from the 301–350 band last year.
Beyond UM, UTP and Sunway, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia moved up to the 301-325 band, while Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) also climbed into the 326-350 band.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) retained its position in the 401–500 band, while Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) both placed in the 451-500 band.
The rankings, released today (Sept 30), also placed Management and Science University (MSU) in the 501-550 band and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) in the 551-600 band.
Overall, 29 Malaysian universities are included in the rankings this time, up from 27 in 2026.
In a statement today (Sept 30), THE said Malaysian universities recorded notable improvements in their performance on measures of international staff and students, while also recording gains across all three income metrics – institutional, research and industry income.
THE chief global affairs officer Phil Baty said the latest rankings reflected a broader shift in global higher education, with Asian universities making significant gains.
“THE has been monitoring the tremors for years. But it is now clear that the tectonic plates of global higher education are shifting permanently. The latest World University Rankings suggest that we are witnessing a historic realignment of academic power from West to East,” he said.
“There are many symbolic landmarks in the 2027 rankings: the highest ever ranking for Singapore as NUS rises to 15th; the first time we have three Asian universities in the world top 15; the first time an Asian university is ahead of any in continental Europe; the first Malaysian university to reach the world top 200; the highest ranking ever for the University of Indonesia.”
The UK-based THE World University Rankings are one of the most globally respected and rigorous assessments of institutional excellence; ranking universities worldwide across five key pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry and International Outlook.
The 2027 rankings assessed 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories.
Sitting at the top is University of Oxford for the 11th year running followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with Princeton University and Stanford University sharing third place.
The full rankings can be viewed at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking
