PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s oldest university has been listed as one of the top 4% of universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
The 23rd edition of the rankings sees Universiti Malaya (UM) rising from 58th to 56th in the world – the highest position ever achieved by a local institution.
With an overall score of 81.2, UM ranked first nationally in several key indicators – Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Employment Outcomes and Sustainability.
The university achieved strong global positions in International Students (153rd), Sustainability (166th) and Employment Outcomes (184th).
It is also ranked 125th for International Research Network (93.4), the second-highest collaborative research position in Asean.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said achieving 56th globally is a “landmark moment of institutional pride and national significance”.
“This success reflects the strength of a mission-led and values-driven institution, powered by the unyielding hard work, intellect and commitment of our academics, researchers, students, staff and leadership teams,” he said in a statement.
The other four Malaysian universities inside the global Top 200 are Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), giving Malaysia more universities in the top 200 than any South-East Asian country.
UKM’s rank, which took a slight dip to 130th, needs to be taken into context, where there was stiff competition this time around, said its vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sufian Jusoh.
“At the same time, the strength of a university needs to be seen in terms of the quality of education, the impact of research and its contribution to society,” he added.
Overall, 32 Malaysian institutions were ranked this round, greatly increasing from just seven in 2014.
A total of 10 universities improved their rank this year, and nine reached their best-ever position, including INTI International University (up 103 places to 406th), Asia Pacific University (up 69 to 528th) and Sunway University (up 56 to 354th).
Meanwhile, IMU University makes its debut on the global table.
Taylor’s University has been ranked 272nd globally, thanks to its continued focus on delivering education that is purposeful, globally connected and future-focused.
Its vice-chancellor and president Prof Barry Winn said: “Strong graduate outcomes reflect how effectively students learn, adapt and create value in a rapidly changing world.
“We are preparing graduates with the curiosity, agility and human capabilities needed to thrive in an evolving future,” he said.
UCSI University continues to be ranked within the top 300 universities worldwide, now sitting at 282nd.
Its vice-chancellor and president Prof Emerita Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, said their position reflects their consistent track record in academic excellence, research, global engagement and graduate outcomes.
“Moving forward, we will redouble our efforts to expand our global footprint, amplify our research endeavours and strengthen international partnerships,” she added.
QS senior vice-president Ben Sowter said while Malaysia’s performance has been consistently improving, the next phase of progress will depend on strengthening reputation and research impact.
“The opportunity for Malaysia is to translate its strong international profile into greater employer confidence, higher research influence and an even stronger global reputation for academic excellence,” he said in a statement yesterday.
More than 1,500 institutions across 106 countries and territories were ranked in the 2027 edition of the rankings.
Sitting at the top is Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the 15th year running, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University, tied in second.
The full rankings can be viewed at www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings.
