KUALA LUMPUR: The University of Malaya has clinched the 24th position in the QS University Rankings 2018: Asia - up four places from last year's 27, as announced by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds today.
In the latest edition of the QS rankings of universities in Asia, UM - Malaysia’s best university - achieves its highest-ever among the 425 universities from 17 Asian nations which were ranked by QS this year.
Its acting vice-chancellor Prof Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said, “A better rank will help the university to be better known, attract better collaborative partners, staff, and students and thus improve the quality of its graduates, research outputs, and contributions to the country.”
Prior to this result, UM has shown tremendous improvement in terms of world rankings.
Last month, the university made it to the top 400 of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2018, a ranking of the top 1,000 universities from 77 countries.
The university, a new entrant in the THE list was ranked in the 351 - 400 band.
In June, UM remained Malaysia’s leading university in the QS World University Rankings 2018 by rising 19 places to the 114th position.
Four other Malaysian universities join UM in the top 50 of the QS University Rankings 2018: Asia.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), which has risen 13 places within the top 50, now ranks 36th.
Joining UM and UPM in the top 50 are Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (43rd, up 12 places), Universiti Sains Malaysia (46th, up five places), and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (49th, up 14 places).
No other Malaysian university comes in the top 100.
However, this has still been a highly successful year for Malaysian institutions: of the nation’s 27 ranked universities, 18 have improved their rank.
A total of 22 Malaysian universities, both public and private, rank within Asia’s top 300.
Notably, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), a private institution, is ranked 101st (up 26 spots from 127th) and is on the verge of a place in Asia’s top 100.
“As Malaysia accelerates towards becoming a higher education hub in line with Shift 8: Global Prominence as stated in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education), this ranking is indicative of the progress we have made over the years in ensuring that our institutions are able to deliver quality education across the board.
“We believe the ranking serves as a useful reference point for prospective students in choosing Malaysia as a preferred education destination," said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh.
“On behalf of the ministry, I would like to convey a heartfelt congratulation to all the institutions for improving and making it into this year’s ranking.
“This achievement is the result of the hard work, commitment, and dedication of members of the institutions – from the lecturers to the researchers and the lab assistants to the administrative staff.
“Thank you for contributing. The ministry is always supportive of your endeavours to make Malaysian higher education great and believes in the synergy that exists among higher education institutions which help foster a dynamic and innovative ecosystem.
“Stay focused, always strive to improve and as we say at the ministry, may we keep Soaring Upwards,” he added.
The QS University Rankings 2018: Asia is led by Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, which has taken the number-one position from the National University of Singapore (2nd).
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology rises one position to 3rd.