New QS Rankings Point to Next Generation of Elite Universities
Results on http://www.topuniversities.com
LONDON, May 28, 2012 /CNW/ - The rapid rise of a new generation of elite institutions is showcased in a new ranking of the world's leading universities under the age of 50.
Asia claims a remarkable six of the top ten universities in the QS Top 50 Under 50 ranking, with CUHK and HKUST beating the UK's Warwick University to the top spots.
23 countries are represented, led by Australia with ten institutions, followed by the UK with seven.
QS Top 50 Under 50 | ||||
Under 50 |
2011 World University Rankings |
Institution | Country | Establishment Year |
The Chinese | ||||
University of | ||||
Hong Kong | ||||
1 | 37 | (CUHK) | HK | 1963 |
The Hong Kong | ||||
University of | ||||
Science and | ||||
Technology | ||||
2 | 40 | (HKUST) | HK | 1991 |
The University | ||||
3 | 50 | of Warwick | GB | 1964 |
Nanyang | ||||
Technological | ||||
University | ||||
4 | 58 | (NTU) | SG | 1991 |
KAIST - Korea | ||||
Advanced | ||||
Institute of | ||||
Science and | ||||
5 | 90 | Technology | KR | 1971 |
University of | ||||
6 | 96 | York | GB | 1963 |
Pohang | ||||
University of | ||||
Science and | ||||
Technology | ||||
7 | 98 | (POSTECH) | KR | 1986 |
Maastricht | ||||
8 | 109 | University | NL | 1976 |
City | ||||
University of | ||||
9 | 110 | Hong Kong | HK | 1984 |
University of | ||||
California, | ||||
10 | 148 | Irvine (UCI) | US | 1965 |
©QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2012 http://www.topuniversities.com |
Four of the top seven are Asian scientific institutions, with Singapore's Nanyang Technological University outranking Western universities such as University of York and University of California, Irvine despite having been in existence for just 11 years.
"New science-based institutions have been established to drive innovation and growth in booming economies such as Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore," says Ben Sowter, head of the QS Intelligence Unit. "Their superior performance compared to Western universities established within the same time frame is testament to Asia's dynamism."
QS Top 50 Under 50 has been published alongside the annual QS University Rankings: Asia to demonstrate the dramatic effects of Asian expenditure on international higher education.
The prominence of younger Asian institutions has been put down to a boom in scientific research. As the West tightens its belt following the recession, continued growth in countries such as China, Korea and Singapore has facilitated ambitious investment programs.
Universities in Singapore and Korea have benefited from multi-billion dollar investment programs, while China doubled its main scientific research budget between 2009 and 2011.
While Asia takes the top spots, in terms of its number of leading young institutions it is Australia that dominates, reflecting its economic position at the crossroad between East and West. North America is represented by just one US university and three from Canada.
In continental Europe, Germany and Spain both see three of their young universities each in this table, with Scandinavia, France, Belgium and The Netherlands also contributing at least one institution. Only one Brazilian university represents Latin American, while the Middle East contingent comprises one university apiece from Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Full results of QS Top 50 Under 50 are available on http://www.topuniversities.com
Simona Bizzozero, [email protected], +44(0)7880620856; Vickie Chiu, [email protected], +44(0)207-2847292
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