• Latest THE Young University Rankings celebrate the achievements of universities under the age of 50 – dynamic institutions that are best placed to challenge the traditional elites
• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, becomes the first Singaporean university to achieve the number one spot
• Australia’s University of Technology Sydney (9^th), and South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) (10^th) rank in top 10 for the first time
• Three South Korean universities in the top 10 for the first time
• Record 475 universities from 68 countries and regions rank in 2021, with seven countries and regions represented in the top 10
• Austria’s Medical University of Innsbruck (19^th) impressive climb sees it move into the top 20 for the first time
• Mainland China’s Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) (26^th) edges closer to a place in the top 20
• Switzerland’s Università della Svizzera Italiana (=37^th) achieves its best ever position, moving into the top 50
• Qatar University (43rd) moves into the top 50, achieving its best ever position in the rankings
• 77 universities rank for the first time, France’s Paris-Saclay University (22^nd) is the highest ranked debutant (four rank in the top 100)
• UK most represented country or region in the rankings (37), followed by India (34), Spain (33), and Turkey (31)
• View the THE Young University Rankings 2021 in full here: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2021/young-university-rankings
• View the THE Young University Rankings methodology here: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/young-university-rankings-2021-methodology
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London, 23 June 2021

The best universities under the age of 50 years have been announced today in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings 2021. Drawing on the same comprehensive performance indicators as the globally-recognised THE World University Rankings, the THE Young University Rankings celebrate the achievements of young institutions that have made a big impact on the world stage in years rather than centuries and are best placed to challenge the established elites.

A record 475 universities from 68 countries and regions qualify this year, with a further record of seven countries and regions represented in the top 10. Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (1^st) tops the table after moving up one position, becoming the first Singaporean university to claim top spot since the rankings began in 2012.

Eight of this year’s top 10 universities improve on their 2020 positions, including France’s Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris (2^nd), which moves up one place, while Australia’s University of Technology Sydney (9^th), and South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) (10^th) are both new entrants in the top 10. Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology’s (UNIST) achievement also helps South Korea to achieve three places in the top 10 for the first time.

Elsewhere in the rankings, Austria’s Medical University of Innsbruck (19^th) achieves its highest ever position following an impressive climb into the top 20 after placing joint 36^th in 2020. Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) (26^th), mainland China’s highest ranked institution, climbs closer to a place in the top 20, up from joint 47^th, while Switzerland’s Università della Svizzera Italiana (=37^th) achieves its best ever finish, moving into the top 50 for the first time.

Five universities that ranked outside the top 100 in 2020 move into the elite band this year, including Portugal’s NOVA University of Lisbon (66^th), Italy’s University of Rome II – Tor Vergata (68^th), Taiwan’s National Yang-Ming University (=83^rd), Italy’s University of Brescia (=96^th), and mainland China’s Shenzhen University (=99^th).

77 universities rank for the first time in the THE Young University Rankings 2021, making the table the largest and most competitive yet. France’s Paris-Saclay University (22^nd) is the highest ranked debutant this year (formerly Paris-Sud University) with L’institut Agro (80^th) and Télécom SudParis (98^th) also debuting in the top 100, giving France three of the four top 100 places claimed by debut universities. France now has its highest ever representation in the top 100, with 13 of its universities ranking in the group.

The UK is the most represented country or region in the rankings, with 37 universities qualifying in 2021 (36 in 2020). Brighton and Sussex Medical School (44^th) remains its highest ranked institution. India follows in second, with 34 universities ranked (26 in 2020), with Spain third (33). The top 10 by representation is completed by Turkey (31), France (27), Iran (26), Australia (23), Japan (17), Taiwan (17), and Italy (16).

Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer at THE, commented:

“While more established universities have had the advantage of time to build powerful reputations, develop generations of successful alumni, accumulate property and wealth and in many cases to become part of their city’s fabric with landmark buildings, the THE Young University Rankings celebrates those using their relative youth as an opportunity to disrupt the status quo.

“This year, we have seen more universities join the rankings than ever before, and witnessed Nanyang Technological University, Singapore – at barely 30 years old – become the first Singaporean university to achieve the number one spot. The dynamism of these younger institutions is reflected throughout the rankings, but maybe most obviously in the top ten, where we see a record seven countries and regions represented in the group for the first time.

“Despite youth often being paralleled with ‘inexperience’ in a centuries old university sector, these institutions have the ability to be proactive and flexible in the everchanging higher education environment, not held back by tradition or expectation and are offering world class education, research and teaching across their missions. They are well poised to shake up traditional higher education hierarchies.”