Currently, there are many organizations in the world that specialize in evaluating and assessing educational activities at the regional and international levels, including the British organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Ranking criteria are always one of the top factors that students care about when choosing a school. The QS organization has just announced the results of the world’s leading university rankings – QS World University Rankings in 2024 (QS WUR 2024).
Let’s find out with Galaxy Secrets!
Top Universities in the World 2024 (According to QS World University Rankings)
QS World University Rankings is one of the most prestigious university rankings in the world, considered a “compass” for international students in their journey to choosing the right school. With more than 20 years of experience, QS has evaluated and ranked thousands of universities around the world based on strict criteria, ensuring objectivity and accuracy.
Therefore, entering the Top 10 best universities in the world according to QS WUR is an extremely prestigious achievement, affirming the training quality and leading position of these universities.
This ranking receives a lot of attention from international students because of its prestige and popularity. With 1,500 universities on this year’s ranking list, besides “familiar faces”, you may be surprised with many appearances from Europe and Asia.
Top 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology – USA
Still holding the throne with an absolute score, MIT continues to affirm its leading position for 12 consecutive years.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) holds the number one spot in this year’s rankings. It was the first school in the United States to offer an architecture major and also the first school to admit women in the United States.
The school’s admissions process is rigorous. Only 8% of applicants were accepted in 2019. Graduates are accepted to work at the world’s leading companies and corporations such as Google, Amazon and Apple.
Outstanding training majors:
- Most prominent majors: Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering…
- Other majors: Architecture, fine arts, music, science
School awards: When you look at the list of prestigious national and international awards in the field of science and technology achieved by the school’s students below, you will understand why Massachusetts Institute of Technology is so highly regarded.
- 85 Nobel Laureates
- 58 National Medal of Science
- 29 National Medal of Technology and Innovation
Notables: The school has 45 Rhodes Scholars and 38 MacArthur Scholars
Top 2. University of Cambridge – UK
The University of Cambridge‘s long-standing and prestigious academic background helps it hold the second position. The University of Cambridge is a prestigious research university in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1209, it is the fourth oldest university in the world.
With a long tradition, the University of Cambridge is considered a prestigious school that has had many high-ranking heads of state studying here.
Among them are 15 British Prime Ministers, 23 important heads of state such as the Prime Ministers of India, Singapore and Jordan. At least 9 kings, Prince Charles and many other royal figures have studied here…
Top 3. University of Oxford – UK
The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the UK and one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Therefore, Oxford is always the first choice with excellent educational quality.
Currently, the University of Oxford has about 20,000 students, of which the number of undergraduate and postgraduate students is equal. 95% of Oxford University students find employment or pursue higher education within 6 months of graduation.
Top 4. Harvard University – USA
Ranked 4th globally is Harvard University Founded in 1636, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world; it is part of the Ivy League – a group of 8 best private universities in the United States.
Currently, unlike other universities in the United States, Harvard University has about 20,000 students, of which 25% are international students. Engineering, law, business, applied science, information technology and pharmacy are the most popular majors at this school.
The school has 45 Nobel laureates and 48 Pulitzer Prize winners who have studied at Harvard University. 13 US presidents have been awarded honorary degrees by the school.
Top 5. Stanford University – USA
Ranked 5th is Stanford, home to many entrepreneurs and startups. The school has 17 Nobel Prize-winning alumni. The school currently has 7,000 students and 9,000 postgraduates.
Not only investing in the quality of teaching, Stanford also focuses on health care for lecturers and students. The school has 32 sports clubs and 36 sports for lecturers and students to choose from. It can be said that this is an advantage that helps Stanford University be highly rated in this ranking.
Outstanding students: One of the most outstanding and successful alumni of this prestigious school has now become a name known to the world – Steve Jobs. He is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc.
Top 6. Imperial College London – UK
Proudly ranked 6th in the QS Ranking 2024, Imperial College London (UCL) affirms its position as one of the 10 best universities in the world.
UCL is the ideal choice for international students who want to pursue their education at a prestigious, high-quality university and have the opportunity to develop themselves comprehensively.
Currently, the school has about 15,000 students and 8,000 employees, focusing on four main fields: science, engineering, medicine and business. The school boasts 14 Nobel laureates, including Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin.
Top 7. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Switzerland
The QS World University Rankings 2024 have been officially announced, recognizing the impressive achievements of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) when maintaining its top 7 position in the rankings.
ETH Zurich is highly regarded for the quality of training and research in the fields of science and technology, especially engineering, information technology and natural sciences. The school gathers a team of prestigious lecturers with high professional qualifications and rich experience.
As of 2023, ETH Zurich has enrolled 25,380 students from more than 120 countries, including 4,425 doctoral students. Students, lecturers and researchers affiliated with ETH Zurich include 22 Nobel laureates, two Fields Medalists, three Pritzker Prize winners and one Turing Award winner, including Albert Einstein and John von Neumann.
Top 8. National University of Singapore – Singapore
National University of Singapore (NUS) is proud to be the leading university in Singapore and Southeast Asia, ranked in the Top 10 Universities in the World in 2024 by the QS World University Rankings.
NUS is highly appreciated for its teaching quality, with a team of experienced and dedicated lecturers from many countries around the world. NUS graduates have many exciting career opportunities in international sectors.
Currently, NUS has three campuses across Singapore: Kent Ridge, Bukit Timah and Outram. This is the place of study and research for more than 30,000 students and 2,400 lecturers. From state-of-the-art laboratories and world-class libraries to diverse learning and social spaces, this is where the most cutting-edge ideas are nurtured.
Top 9. University of California, Berkeley – USA
University of California, Berkeley is a must-visit for those seeking world-class educational and career opportunities. Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) is a public research university and flagship institution, part of the 10 research universities within the University of California system.
Currently, there are about 40,468 students studying at UCB, of which 75% are undergraduate students and 25% are graduate students.
UCB is fully equipped with advanced laboratories, rich libraries and spacious campus. In addition, the school is also located in the vibrant San Francisco Bay area, home to many leading technology companies and many attractive internship opportunities.
Top 10. Johns Hopkins University – USA
Being in the Top 10 QS WUR 2024 is a testament to the excellence and prestige of Johns Hopkins University. The school was founded in 1876 with the goal of advanced international research, training creative thinkers and problem solvers, equipped to address global challenges in any context around the world. The school has many branches around the world including the United States, Italy, China, …
Johns Hopkins University has a total undergraduate population of more than 21,000 students. The average SAT score of admitted applicants to Johns Hopkins University is 1,485 to more than 1,600. Johns Hopkins University offers an official tuition fee of $48,710/year.
Universities in the top 25
Notable changes in the top 25 include Tsinghua University (China), which fell 11 places from 14th to 25th, and the University of Edinburgh (UK), which fell seven places from 15th to 22nd. Meanwhile, Cornell University climbed from 20th to 13th. France’s PSL University is a new entry into the top 25 in 2024, at 24th.
Universities that dropped out of the top 25 are the University of Hong Kong, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Tokyo. Australian universities also performed well, including the University of Melbourne (14th), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Sydney (tied at 19th).
The top 25 universities (11th to 25th) is dominated by educational institutions from the United States with seven universities, three from Australia, two from China, one each from the United Kingdom and Canada. The universities ranked 11-25 in the 2024 rankings are:
11. University of Chicago (United States)
12. University of Pennsylvania (United States)
13. Cornell University (United States)
14. University of Melbourne (Australia)
15. California Institute of Technology (United States)
16. Yale University (United States)
17. Peking University (China)
18. Princeton University (United States)
19. University of New South Wales (Australia)
20. University of Sydney (Australia)
21. University of Toronto (Canada)
22. University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
23. Columbia University (United States)
24. PSL University (France)
25. Tsinghua University (China)
QS World University Rankings Criteria
To evaluate and rank the top 10 best universities in the world, QS uses a system of 9 main criteria, also known as ‘indices’. Of which, Sustainability, Employability, and International Research Network are 3 completely new criteria this year:
- Academic reputation: An index showing the quality of teaching and research at a university. This criterion accounts for 40% of the total ranking score.
- Faculty to student ratio: This criterion is used to evaluate the number of current students with lecturers and staff of the school. A lower ratio of students to lecturers/staff of the school usually means more attention, support and interaction with each student.
- International students ratio: This index measures the level of diversity at the university through the ability to attract talented students from all over the world and have a global perspective.
- International faculty: A multicultural faculty/staff environment is a good indicator of academic quality, research collaboration and openness to different perspectives.
- Employer Reputation: A measure of how well a university is perceived by potential employers. A high score attests to the knowledge and skills of its graduates.
- Citations per faculty: This shows how well a university is doing in terms of research and innovation.
- Sustainability: According to the QS International Student Survey 2022, 80% of students think that universities could do more to help the environment. This reflects the growing interest of young students in supporting social and environmental causes.
- Employment outcomes: Assessment criteria reflect the university’s view of employment opportunities and career support for students.
- International research network: Criteria reflect the level of international connections between an institution’s research and recognize the importance of broader collaborative research.
In addition, to make the assessment more effective and accurate, the criteria will be divided into many groups with specific sub-indices as follows:
- Academic reputation (40%): Assessed based on a survey of opinions of prestigious academics in the world on the quality of teaching, research and reputation of the university.
- Lecturer/student ratio (20%): Reflects the quality of education and the university’s attention to each student.
- Recruitment reputation (20%): Survey of thousands of employers worldwide on their evaluation of university graduates.
- Research income per capita (10%): Assesses the scientific research capacity of the university, expressed through the number of scientific articles published in prestigious journals and the income from research activities.
Most of the above indicators show the internationality that you will receive when studying at a university in the QS rankings. The school focuses on developing the quality of students to ensure that it provides the job market and employers with truly outstanding candidates.
The QS WUR World University Rankings 2024 is a useful reference for students in choosing the right university to pursue their dream of studying abroad and finding love.
Hopefully, from these universities, you can choose the right school for yourself. Please research carefully before making a decision, Galaxy Secrets wishes you success on the path to conquering knowledge.