Bangladesh's Dhaka University (DU) and North South University (NSU) have been ranked in the best 200 Asian universities for the first time in Times Higher Education's (THE) Asia University Rankings 2023.
Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2023 – which includes 669 universities from 31 territories – placed DU at 186th and North South University at 192nd.
DU advanced from the 251-300 band compared to the previous year, whereas NSU made its debut in the rankings, having not been ranked last year.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) were placed between 401 and 500 Asian universities.
The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2023 employed the same 13 performance metrics as THE World University Rankings, but these were adjusted to account for the unique characteristics of Asia's institutions.
The evaluations of these universities encompassed all their fundamental objectives - including teaching, research, knowledge dissemination, and global perspective - ensuring the comparisons offered are as comprehensive and balanced as possible.
Here are the top 10 universities:
- Tsinghua University (China)
- Peking University (China)
- National University of Singapore (Singapore)
- University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Singapore)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong)
- The University of Tokyo (Japan)
- Fudan University, (China)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China)
For the fourth consecutive year, China's Tsinghua University and Peking University secure the top two spots. This year, four universities from mainland China made it to the top 10, an increase from three the previous year.
Hong Kong follows closely with three universities in the top 10.
Its prominent universities have also ascended in rank: The Chinese University of Hong Kong advanced one spot to sixth place, and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ascended two spots to seventh. The University of Hong Kong maintains its position in fourth place.
In contrast, the top-rated universities in Japan and South Korea have experienced a downward shift in the table.
Once again, Japan retains its position as the country with the highest number of represented institutions this year, boasting 117 universities.
The number of South Asian universities in the top 200 of Times Higher Education's Asia University Rankings has ascended to a five-year peak.
The top 200 list this year boasts 32 universities from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka - a significant increase from 24 in 2022 and surpassing the pre-pandemic figures in 2019, which saw 25 institutions from South Asia included.
Pakistan is at the forefront of this surge, with its representation rising to 10 universities in the top 200 this year, compared to six in the previous year.
India, historically a significant contributor to the top 200 than its regional counterparts, experienced only a modest increase in its representation in this year's rankings, with a count of 18 universities - a slight increment from the previous year's 17.
Moving further north, Iran made considerable strides in this year's rankings. In the 2023 rankings, the country claims 65 universities, an improvement from last year's 58, with nine institutions making it to the top 100, three more than the previous year.
