Tsinghua University remained the top university in Asia in the 2026 rankings, as Chinese schools continued to dominate the list. China placed five universities in the top 10 and 20 in the top 50, showing the country’s strong investment in research and higher education.
National University of Singapore stayed in third place, while The University of Tokyo moved up to joint fourth. Hong Kong universities also performed well, with several schools holding strong positions in the rankings.
Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea struggled to keep pace. Experts said many of their universities slightly improved scores, but other countries advanced faster, causing them to slip in the rankings. Analysts pointed to China’s growing research budgets and return of international talent as key reasons behind its rise.
Malaysia emerged as one of the strongest rising systems this year. Universiti Teknologi Petronas climbed into the top 35, while other Malaysian universities also improved. Experts said the country’s focus on becoming a regional education hub is starting to show results as competition across Asia becomes more intense.
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