UPM improves on Top 50 Under 50 Rankings

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) is making a steady climb on the list of the world’s young universities.

According to the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Top 50 Under 50 Rankings 2020, the public research university is now 12th in the global rankings, up one notch from last year.

Other local universities on the list include Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) at 13th and 17th place, respectively.

UTM climbed up one spot and UKM dropped a rank lower. Universiti Sains Malaysia, which was 14th last year, is not among the global top 20 this time as they were established in 1969 and no longer qualify for inclusion in the list of universities under 50 years old.

UPM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Aini Ideris said she was proud that the 48-year-old institution had moved up another spot, making it the best young university in Malaysia.

“All these improvements are due to team effort with strong support at various levels that impart to the staff strong core organisational values on excellence, diversity, sustainability and integrity,” she said.

“The International Students is the most outstanding strength for UPM and ranked 135 globally,” she said.

Dr Aini also said that international students, researchers and academic staff were attracted to UPM due to its continuous commitment in ensuring quality education.

Universiti Malaya does not qualify as it was set up in 1905.

QS research director Ben Sowter said: “In 2016’s edition of the rankings, four Malaysian universities were featured, but none were among the world’s top 20.”

“Like the overall QS World University Rankings, the QS Top 50 Under 50 results emphasise the enhancement of Malaysian higher education,” he said in a statement.

“The geographic breakdown of this ranking – with universities in Hong Kong, the UAE, South Korea and Malaysia well represented – helps us discern between those locations that are doing most to improve the demand for improved provision, and those who have been unable to foster institutions to challenge established higher education hierarchies,” he said.

The 50 Under 50 list was taken from the QS World University Rankings 2020, which was released two weeks ago.

The latest edition of the rankings features six Asian and four European universities in the top 10 with Singapore’s Nanyang Techno­logical University in first place.

The World University Rankings, produced by global higher education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds, rank the world’s top 1,000 universities.

For more information, go to https://www.topuniversities.com