More Chinese universities climb the list of world's best

Two Shanghai-based universities made it into the top 200 in the 14th annual ranking of world universities, released on Tuesday by the Times Higher Education (THE).

Fudan University climbs 39 places to 116th position, while Shanghai Jiao Tong University is ranked at 188.

In total, China has 66 institutions included in the definitive list of the top 1,000 universities from 77 countries, with 10 new entrants.

While China does not yet have a top 10 institution, it has two institutions in the top 30 for the first time and boasts more universities in the rankings than ever before.

Peking University is China’s number one, and comes in at 27th in the world ranking, tied with New York University and the University of Edinburgh. That's a move of two spots from 29th last year.

Tsinghua University climbs from 35th place to 30th, overtaking University of Melbourne, Georgia Institute of Technology and LMU Munich.

Hong Kong has six universities in this year’s ranking, including three in the top 100 and two in the top 50. University of Hong Kong is the region’s number one institution at 40th place.

China's mainland is now the sixth most-represented region in the top 200. It has seven universities in this elite group, up from four last year, overtaking Hong Kong as Asia’s most successful territory at the top of the ranking.

Globally, the University of Oxford retains first place in the World University Rankings. The University of Cambridge climbs two places to second, overtaking California Institute of Technology and Stanford University, both joint third. While the United States continues to dominate the rankings, Chinese universities are rapidly climbing year-on-year.

“The rise of China in this year’s list is remarkable and demonstrates the way the global higher education landscape is changing,” said Phil Baty, Editorial Director of THE  Global Rankings. “With two top-30 representatives for the first time in the 13-year history of the rankings, China’s leading universities are truly now part of the global elite and overtaking prestigious universities in the US, UK and Europe.”

“But the results show that other East Asian nations are feeling the competition from this Asian giant,” he added. “South Korea, which has been improving in recent years, is one of many victims of China’s success this year. Japan’s University of Tokyo has also suffered. East Asian countries outside of China will need to work hard to stay stable as its neighbor soars to join the global elite.”

Full results from the list are available here.