KUALA LUMPUR: The University of Malaya (UM) has been ranked 70th in the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (QS-WUR) 2020, climbing 17 spots from last year’s placing.
The university achieved an overall score of 67.1, an improvement of 7.2 per cent. This new ranking places UM in the top seven per cent of the 1,001 institutions ranked by QS-WUR.
In a statement, UM vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim said the achievement was in line with its mission to be recognised as the internationally preferred institution of higher learning in teaching and learning, research, publication and innovation.
“Our goal is, and has always been, to benchmark UM against other outstanding universities around the world with a view for further improvement to help raise the standard of Malaysian higher education.
“UM has successfully sustained its upward trajectory in the face of fiscal challenges, and emphasised the wisdom and value of increased financial support from the government in order to achieve excellence in teaching and learning, research and innovation, in the years ahead,” he said.
Abdul Rahim said with increased investment, the university would be able to intensify international collaborations, enhance strategic research and industry partnerships, and improve graduate employability.
The university also has plans to widen its talent pool, he said, with local and international staff as well as retain the services of its internationally-recognised retired academics.
QS-WUR uses six indicators to compile the ranking which measures academic reputation (40 per cent), employer reputation (10 per cent), faculty/student ratio (20 per cent), citations per faculty (20 per cent), and five per cent each for international faculty ratio and international student ratio.
“I would like to congratulate and thank the UM community - students, staff and alumni for their commitment and contribution towards the achievement of the university’s performance in the QS-WUR 2020.
“I am grateful for the support given by the Education Ministry which had enabled UM to successfully play a key role in its efforts to raise the profile of Malaysian higher education institutions internationally.
“Together with the ministry’s continued support, we hope to sustain our position as the nation’s premier and most prestigious university in our quest for global excellence in higher education,” said Abdul Rahim.