Hong Kong’s higher education sector has achieved a remarkable feat in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, released on October 9, with all eight publicly funded universities securing spots among the global top 350. Five institutions have clinched positions in the prestigious top 100, and six now rank within the top 200, making Hong Kong the only region worldwide where all ranked universities improved on last year’s performance.
Leading the pack, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) climbed two places to 33rd globally, retaining its status as the city’s top institution. HKU President Zhang Xiang credited the result to the university’s unwavering commitment to advancing teaching, research, and knowledge exchange. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) soared to a historic high of 41st, with President Dennis Lo hailing the milestone as a testament to CUHK’s leadership in global higher education. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) rebounded impressively, rising eight places to 58th, driven by its focus on innovation and international collaboration.
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) achieved its best-ever ranking at 75th, excelling globally in “Industry” and topping Hong Kong for “International Outlook.” The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) advanced to 83rd, marking its fifth consecutive year in the top 100 and underscoring its growing impact in research and knowledge transfer. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) climbed into the 201–250 band, and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) debuted impressively at 195th. Lingnan University, also a first-time entrant, secured a spot in the 301–350 range.
The THE rankings, covering 2,191 universities across 115 regions, evaluate institutions based on 18 indicators across five core areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer, international outlook, and industry engagement. Hong Kong’s across-the-board improvement stems from enhanced teaching reputation, higher ratios of doctoral to bachelor’s students, and better staff-to-student ratios, according to THE. These advancements reflect increased investment in academic staff and doctoral research, positioning Hong Kong as a global leader in research-intensive higher education.
Mainland China also celebrated significant gains, with five universities breaking into the global top 40 for the first time. Tsinghua University held steady at 12th for the third year running, followed closely by Peking University at 13th. Zhejiang University jumped eight places to 39th, while Shanghai Jiao Tong University surged 12 spots to 40th. Fudan University maintained its rank at 36th, and the University of Science and Technology of China rose to 51st, narrowly missing the top 50.
Globally, the University of Oxford retained its crown as the world’s top university for the tenth consecutive year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in second. Princeton University and the University of Cambridge tied for third, while Harvard and Stanford Universities shared fifth. Notably, Harvard’s ranking comes amid past challenges, including a 2020 Trump administration ban on international student recruitment, which sparked protests by groups like Crimson Courage advocating for restored federal funding, as reported by Reuters.
Asia’s academic landscape also shone, with 929 universities from 36 regions ranked. The National University of Singapore held steady at 17th, while the University of Tokyo climbed to 26th.
Hong Kong’s unprecedented sweep—where all ranked universities improved—signals its growing stature as a global education hub. “This is a proud moment for our city,” said a CityUHK spokesperson, emphasizing its international outlook. PolyU echoed the sentiment, noting its sustained top-100 presence reflects a commitment to impactful research and teaching.
As competition intensifies among global universities, Hong Kong’s institutions are leveraging research investment and international collaboration to cement their place on the world stage. The THE rankings reaffirm the city’s role as a beacon of academic excellence, with its universities poised to shape the future of higher education.