Sunway University achieved a new milestone in global higher education, rising to 283rd in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2027.
The varsity also retained its position as Malaysia’s and Asean’s number one non-government-linked private university.
Moving into the world’s top 300 universities from the previous 301–350 band, the varsity showed continued progress in research, international engagement and academic excellence.
Released on Sept 30, the latest THE WUR assessed more than 2,000 research-intensive universities globally across a range of performance indicators covering teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook.
The 2027 edition is the most inclusive to date, spanning 118 countries and territories and introducing more granular ranking bands to provide greater differentiation between institutions.
Sunway University is now ranked 11th in the world for International Outlook, placing it among the world’s leading institutions for international engagement. The recognition comes alongside its research collaborations, global co-authorship and diverse academic community.
It also highlights Sunway University’s role in contributing to global conversations on complex challenges, particularly in areas aligned with its mission to advance planetary health, sustainability and social impact.
Sunway University president and vice-chancellor Prof Sibrandes Poppema (pic) said the institution’s progress is one of the most remarkable in international academia.
“This achievement is largely due to our research quality, the rising number of international students from very diverse backgrounds and a remarkably high percentage of high-quality publications with international authorship.
“We are grateful to our faculty, staff, students and partners whose collective efforts continue to drive our momentum,” he said in a press release.
As a mission-driven, fifth-generation university, Sunway University will continue to build on this momentum by strengthening its academic excellence, advancing impactful research and expanding meaningful partnerships locally, regionally and globally, the statement read.
