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The THES-QS World University Rankings 2007 recently revealed some dramatic changes compared with 2006. Now in its fourth year, the research is conducted by QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

The increasing internationalisation of universities is one of the emerging themes in recent years, through strategic global partnerships, joint teaching and research initiatives and increased international student recruitment activities. The THES-QS World University Rankings 2007 reflects the internationalisation of higher education around the world, with 27 universities from 14 different countries entering the top 200 for the first time.

- Top 10: The UK and USA still dominate - Harvard University, Cambridge, Oxford and Yale retain the top four positions for the second year. University College London and Chicago join the top 10 for the first time.

- Top 50: The addition of the Netherlands sees 12 countries featured in the top 50 compared to 11 in 2006 (see table below). New entrants include Brown University, Bristol, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Osaka, Boston and Amsterdam.

- Top 100: The top 100 sees the number of Asian universities increase to 13 (12 in 2006) but the number of European Universities dropped to 35 (41 in 2006). North America strengthened to 43 universities (37 in 2006).

- Top 200: Universities from 28 different countries were represented in the top 200.

- Increases in International Faculty: 143 of the top 200 universities reported an increase in their percentage of international faculty to total faculty.

- Increases in International Students: 137 of the top 200 universities reported an increase in their percentage of international students to total students.

 

Some country highlights from the 2007 results:

- UK: University College London joins the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and Imperial College in the world's elite Top 10 and is the highest riser (from 25 in 2006) among the leading institutions.

- USA: Princeton University's continued domestic success is reflected in an improved international ranking, featuring in the top 10 for the first time, whilst Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins and Carnegie-Mellon join the top 20 for the first time.

- Asia: the universities of Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Kyoto, the National University of Singapore, Peking, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua and Osaka lead Asian higher education, all featuring in the top 50.

- China: Fudan University joins Peking and Tsinghua universities in the world's Top 100.

- Canada: Stronger performance with 11 universities (up from 7 in 2006) in the top 200.

- Latin America: In Latin America three universities make the world's top 200.

- Ireland: University College Dublin joins Trinity College Dublin in the world's top 200.

- Scandinavia: Stronger as Uppsala and Helsinki universities join Copenhagen University in the top 100.

- Africa: Cape Town at 200 is first ever African institution in the Rankings.

For the complete list of the world's top 200 universities, visit www.worlduniversityrankings.com.

Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds.