London, 15 March 2017: The National University of Singapore has been crowned as the best university in Asia. Peking University and Tsinghua University both from China bag second and third, respectively, as per The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2017. Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University places fourth and University of Hong Kong secures the top five.

The Times Higher Education (THE) has today published the Asia University Rankings  which ranks the top 300 institutions from 24 countries. Japan is Asia’s top university nation overall with 69 featured institutions, followed by China with 54 and India with 33. East Asia dominates the top 20; China has six universities represented, South Korea and Hong Kong both have five, and Japan and Singapore have two.

Other top ten institutes in Asia are as followed: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong, sixth) University of Tokyo (Japan, seventh), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (South Korea, Eighth), Seoul National University (South Korea, Ninth), Pohang University of Science and Technology (South Korea, tenth).

Phil Baty the editor of the Times Higher Education rankings, said: “It is no easy task to appear in the 2017 Asia University Rankings, which use the same 13 rigorous and demanding performance indicators as the overall World University Rankings. Institutions must demonstrate high standards of performance across teaching, research, international outlook and knowledge transfer and compete with other leading research universities across what is rapidly becoming the globe’s next higher education superpower.

“The clear trends, in the fifth year of this annual list, are the continuing strength of China, the rise of India and the emergence of several potential future stars in higher education.

“While Japan is the continent’s leading university nation – the first time in three years that it is the sole bearer of this title – the majority of its universities have declined. In contrast, several of China’s leading universities have risen up the ranks, including Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiao Tong and Tongji. Peking holds on to second place.”

 In India, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is the highest ranking institution, which stands at 27 in Asia. India has 33 institutions in the top 300, 17 of which are new entrants in the Rankings. Among top 100 universities in Asia, eight institutes are from India. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay finds 42 position. The most surprise star among top ranked Institutes in India is Veltech University, which secured joint 43rd spot in the top 50. Veltech University is based in Tamil Nadu, which did not find any place in the last year rankings.

Best 100 Universities in Asia as per THE Asia University Rankings 2017