Seven Chinese universities ranked in the top 10 in the latest Asia University Rankings 2026, released by the London-based magazine Times Higher Education (THE) on Thursday, including two from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, reinforcing the country’s standing as a premier force in Asian higher education.
This year’s edition sees the addition of three Chinese mainland institutions from the previous year, bringing the total number to a record 97. These institutions account for 10.4 percent of 929 participating universities across 36 Asian countries and regions.
Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said that the rankings this year fully demonstrate the extraordinary achievements and progress made by Chinese universities in higher education and research. This success is reflected not only in the mainland’s ongoing strong performance, but also in the steady rise of universities from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.
Tsinghua University has once again been crowned Asia’s top institution, marking its eighth consecutive year at the top of the rankings, followed by Peking University.
Five mainland institutions made it into the top 10: Shanghai Jiao Tong University overtook the Chinese University of Hong Kong and climbed one place to ninth. It joined Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, and Zhejiang University, all of which maintained their positions from the previous year.
The strong performance of mainland universities is largely credited to the ongoing success of the national “double world-class project” initiative, a government program designed to elevate the country’s elite universities to world-class status, THE said.
THE’s analysis also indicates that mainland universities’ scores were bolstered by considerable gains across key metrics, most notably in patents, research excellence, and research influence.
Two Hong Kong universities placed in the top 10, with the University of Hong Kong remaining the city’s highest-ranked institution in sixth place, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 10th.
The total number of ranked Hong Kong universities increased to eight, up from six last year. Notably, two newcomers entered the top 100: The Education University of Hong Kong debuted in 37th place, and Lingnan University was ranked joint-84th place.
All six of last year’s ranked institutions remain in the top 50, with Hong Kong Baptist University leaping from 50th to 40th place.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology continues to rank as Asia’s 12th top university and is among the top three in Hong Kong.
“As a university rooted in Asia with a global outlook, HKUST remains focused on advancing knowledge, talent development, and impact-driven research in support of its strategic priorities and long-term development,” a spokesperson for the university said.
EdUHK President John Lee Chi-kin described the recognition as an important milestone that affirms the university’s commitment to advancing impactful research and fostering a dynamic international learning community.
EdUHK has pledged to continue pursuing excellence in teaching, research, and international engagement, to nurture future-ready educators, and to advance knowledge and sustainable development — aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and Hong Kong’s goal of becoming an international education hub.
Lingnan University president, Joe Qin Sizhao, said the ranking result reflects the university’s achievements in teaching and research, including building on its liberal arts education tradition to advance “Liberal Arts plus Technology” and “AI+” initiatives.
Qin added that the university will also leverage its geographical advantage to enhance its academic influence in Asia, promote interdisciplinary collaboration among industry, academia, and research, and facilitate knowledge transfer, thereby supporting the university’s continued rise in the rankings.
Macao also achieved its strongest showing on record, with three universities appearing in the rankings. The University of Macau climbed to 28th, up from 34th last year, marking the first time a Macao university has entered Asia’s top 30.
Macau University of Science and Technology rose five spots to joint-52nd place, while the City University of Macau made its debut in the rankings, placing in the 201-250 band.
Contact the writers at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com
