Cover The University of Hong Kong ranked 11th globally in the QS rankings 2026 (Photo: Getty Images)
The University of Hong Kong ranked 11th globally in the QS rankings 2026 (Photo: Getty Images)
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Hong Kong boasts nine universities in the QS rankings 2026, including five within the top 100
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has published its 2026 rankings for global universities. Nine institutions from Hong Kong are listed, and five of them are among the top 100. According to QS rankings, Hong Kong has achieved the highest overall improvement in Asia and the second highest globally.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) remains the highest-ranked institution in Hong Kong, advancing six positions from the previous year to achieve 11th place globally, marking a new record. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has also seen significant improvement, rising from 36th to 32nd place, its best performance since 2010.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is ranked 44th in this year’s QS rankings, followed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 54th, City University of Hong Kong at 63rd and Hong Kong Baptist University at 244th.
The Education University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Metropolitan University are new entrants, ranking 530th and between 781st and 790th, respectively.
Looking at other Asian universities, the National University of Singapore maintains its position at eighth spot—the same as last year—and is the only Asian institution in the QS rankings’ top ten. Other Asian universities in the top 20 are Nanyang Technological University of Singapore at 12th place, Peking University at 14th and Tsinghua University at 17th.
Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retains its top rank for the 14th consecutive year, while Imperial College London (ICL) remains in second place in the QS rankings.
Stanford University has climbed three places to be in the top 3, while Oxford University (4th), Harvard University (5th) and Cambridge University (6th) have each fallen by one position.
The QS World University Rankings employ nine criteria, ranging from academic reputation to international research networks and sustainability, to assess more than 1,500 institutions across 105 higher education systems.
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Hong Kong universities’ ranking in the QS World Rankings 2026
1. University of Hong Kong (11th)
2. Chinese University of Hong Kong (32nd)
3. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (44th)
4. Hong Kong Polytechnic University (54th)
5. City University of Hong Kong (63rd)
6. Hong Kong Baptist University (244th)
7. Education University of Hong Kong (530th)
8. Lingnan University, Hong Kong (701-710th)
9. Hong Kong Metropolitan University (781-790th)
Top ten universities in the QS World Rankings 2026
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
2. Imperial College London, UK
3. Stanford University, US
4. University of Oxford, UK
5. Harvard University, US
6. University of Cambridge, UK
7. Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Switzerland
8. National University of Singapore, Singapore
9. University College London, UK
10. California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of Technology, US
