PETALING JAYA: Universiti Malaya (UM) has made history by becoming the first Malaysian university to break into the Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Rankings 2025.
The latest edition of the rankings sees Malaysia’s premier university being ranked among the top 201-300 most powerful university brands worldwide – a shining milestone for Malaysia’s academic excellence.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said being the first and only Malaysian institution in the rankings is a testament to its commitment to excellence in education, research and global engagement.
“This recognition reflects the impact of our academic and research contributions on the international stage,” he said in a press release yesterday.
UM’s inclusion in this ranking underscores its significant role in shaping global academic and research excellence, marking a proud moment for Malaysia’s higher education sector.
The prestigious World Reputation Rankings is based on the world’s largest invitation-only academic opinion survey, which gathers insights from senior academics to identify the most respected institutions for research and teaching.
Malaysia is one of four newcomers in the rankings this year together with Chile, Poland and Portugal.
Overall, Harvard University remains number one for the 14th year followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Oxford sharing the second spot.
This year, 300 universities are included in the World Reputation Rankings.
THE’s chief global affairs officer Phil Baty said: “There is no doubt that academic reputation is a powerful currency in global higher education – it shapes student choices, faculty movement, institutional collaborations and investments.”
The full list of universities can be viewed at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-reputation-rankings
