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QS World University Rankings 2015/16 Out Now!

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Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 4am

TOPUNIVERSITIESWorldwide university rankings, guides & events

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Todays release (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2015) sees the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (MIT) retain the top spot in the QS World University Rankings for the fourth year running, withHarvard University climbing two places to rank second, followed by the University of Cambridge and Stanford University in jointthird.

This is the 12 edition of QSs annual ranking of the worlds top universities, which uses six performance indicators(http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/qs-world-university-rankings-methodology) to assess institutions global reputation, research impact, staffing levels and international complexion.

MIT first topped the table in 2012 and has remained there ever since, with the ranking having previously been headed by bothHarvard and Cambridge.

While the Massachusetts-based tech school continues its reign in first place, the remainder of the top 10 has undergone areshuffling, with some of these changes partly due to improvements to the way in which research citations are assessed(http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/changes-qs-world-university-rankings-methodology) this year.

Top 10 Universities in the World

Based on the QS World University Rankings 2015/16

Ranking in2015/16

Ranking in2014/15

Country

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/massachusetts-institute-technology-mit/undergrad)

1 1 US

Harvard University(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/harvard-university/undergrad)

2 4 US

University of Cambridge(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-cambridge/undergrad)

3= 2= UK

Stanford University(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/stanford-university/undergrad)

3= 7 US

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/california-institute-technology-caltech/undergrad)

5 8 US

University of Oxford(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-oxford/undergrad)

6 5= UK

University College London (UCL)(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/ucl-university-college-london/postgrad)

7 5= UK

Imperial College London(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/imperial-college-london/undergrad)

8 2= UK

ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/eth-zurich-swiss-federal-institute-technology/undergrad)

9 12 Switzerland

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institute-technology/undergrad)

University of Chicago(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-chicago/undergrad)

10 11 US

Switzerlands ETH Zurich enters the top 10 for the first time this year, while fellow Swiss institute cole Polytechnique Fdralede Lausanne (EPFL) (http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/epfl-ecole-polytechnique-f%C3%A9d%C3%A9rale-de-lausanne/undergrad) is not far behind, climbing three places to 14 . Theres also strong progress from Singapores two leaders,which are now just one place apart; the National University of Singapore (NUS)(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/national-university-singapore-nus/undergrad) climbs 10 places to rank 12 , whileNanyang Technological University (NTU) (http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/nanyang-technological-university-singapore-ntu/undergrad) rises 26 places to 13 .

A total of 82 countries are represented in the QS World University Rankings this year, with the largest shares claimed by the US(154), UK (71), Germany (43) and France (41). Japan has 38 entries, Australia 33, China 30, Canada and Italy 26 apiece, Brazil 22and Russia 21.

After the US, UK, Switzerland and Singapore, the highest entry is claimed by Australia, with the Australian National University(ANU) (http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/australian-national-university/undergrad) in joint 19 . France makes its firstappearance with the cole Normale Suprieure (ENS Paris) (http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/ecole-normale-sup%C3%A9rieure-paris/undergrad) in 23 place, followed by Canadas McGill University(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/mcgill-university/undergrad) in 24 . Chinas top entrant, Tsinghua University(http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/tsinghua-university/undergrad), climbs 22 places to rank 25 , while the Hong KongUniversity of Science and Technology (HKUST) (http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/hong-kong-university-science-technology/undergrad) gains 12 positions to reach 28 .

This years release sees refinements introduced to the ranking methodology, aiming to improve the way in which researchcitations are assessed. A normalized total citation count has been introduced to the research citations indicator, to reflectdiffering citation rate norms in different faculty areas. You can find out about these changes and their impact here(http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/changes-qs-world-university-rankings-methodology).

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The overall results are accompanied by the QS World University Rankings by Faculty (http://www.topuniversities.com/faculty-rankings), which highlight the worlds top universities in five individual faculty areas: arts and humanities, engineering andtechnology, life sciences and medicine, natural sciences, and social sciences and management.

Explore the results in full with the interactive online tables, or download the free app (available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/qs-world-university-rankings/id924021289?ls=1&mt=8)and also forAndroid(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qs.qsrankings).) Join the conversation on Twitter(https://twitter.com/TopUnis)andFacebook (https://www.facebook.com/topuniversities?fref=ts) with #QSWUR.

See the full QS World University Rankings 2015/16

The editor of TopUniversities.com, Laura oversees the site's editorial content and student forums (http://www.topuniversities.com/student-forum). She also edits the QS Top Grad School Guide (http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/qs-guides/qs-top-grad-school-guide-2014-2015) and contributes to market research reports including Students Online: Global Trends(http://www.topuniversities.com/publications/students-online-global-trends-report-2014).

QQ (http://connect.qq.com/widget/shareqq/index.html?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/qs-world-university-rankings-201516-out-now)Renren (http://share.renren.com/share/buttonshare.do?link=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/qs-world-university-rankings-201516-out-now)Weibo (http://service.weibo.com/share/share.php?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/qs-world-university-rankings-201516-out-now)

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Written by Laura Bridgestock (/users/laura-bridgestock)

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2 Comments

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(/comment/18996#comment-18996)Henry A., 4 days ago

Every year QS has an interesting list, but shouldn't it be renamed "The Best English-Speaking Universities"?

Germany, especially Bavaria, produces probably the best engineers in the world, but Technische UniversittMnchen is ranked #60. Karolinska Institutet is probaby the best medical university in the world, but it doesn'tmake the list. Chalmers Tekniska Hgskola and the University of Copenhagen aren't in the top 100, despite havingpropelled Sweden and Denmark to a higher BNP per Capita (nominal) than the US and, by far, the UK.

This list is a fun read, but it's not representative of global higher education.

(/comment/19001#comment-19001)Sabrina Collier (/users/sabrina-collier), 3 days ago

Hi Henry, and thank you for your interest in our rankings. I'm sorry you were disappointed with some of theresults - you might like to take a look at our methodology (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/qs-world-university-rankings-methodology), as we do aim to rankuniversities as fairly as possible.Karolinska Institutet is not featured in the main rankings because it is not amulti-faculty institution, but its excellent medical teaching is recognised in the top 10 of the rankings byfaculty for Life Sciences and Medicine. (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/faculty-rankings/life-sciences-and-medicine/2015#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=)

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