Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released the highly anticipated QS World Rankings 2025 during the QS Edu Data Summit held in Washington D.C. The rankings, released on Tuesday, June 4, showcase the top institutions globally across various criteria.

MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has once again clinched the top spot in the list, maintaining its prestigious position from the previous year. Following closely, Imperial College London has notably improved its ranking, securing the second spot. Oxford University and Harvard University have both retained their positions, securing 3rd and 4th places, respectively.

However, University of Cambridge has faced a setback this year, slipping down to Rank 5. Similarly, Stanford University has also experienced a decline, landing in the 6th position.

ETH Zurich has maintained its ranking from the previous year, securing the 7th place. Likewise, the National University of Singapore has retained its position in 8th place. UCL London has also secured the 9th rank, similar to last year.

Top-15 Universities in the World

Let's take a closer look at the top 15 universities in the QS World Rankings 2025:

In a significant improvement from the 2024 rankings, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has secured the 10th position this year, showcasing remarkable progress.

According to the official QS rankings website, the methodology divides the 100% weightage among various criteria. Academic reputation holds the highest weightage at 30%, followed by employer reputation at 15%. Other factors such as faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty and student ratio, international research network, employment outcomes, and sustainability each hold a 5% weightage.

In the 2023 rankings, released on June 28, MIT had secured the top position, followed by Cambridge University, Oxford University, Harvard University, and Stanford University. The rankings demonstrate the dynamic nature of the global academic landscape, with institutions vying for excellence across various dimensions.

As the world of academia continues to evolve, the QS World Rankings serve as a crucial benchmark for institutions striving for global recognition and excellence.

For more details and the complete rankings, visit the official QS World University Rankings website.