While regions such as the U.S. and Europe are often celebrated for their colleges and universities, Asia, too, is home to some of the Best Global Universities.
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Best Colleges In Asia
The 2022 Asia University Rankings reveal the best colleges and universities in Asia, featuring institutions from 31 territories.
Japan leads the way with 118 universities in the ranking, while China comes second, with 97 ranked institutions. India is the third most represented country, with 71 universities.
Hong Kong and China are the most represented regions in the top 10, with three universities each.
The Asia University Rankings are based on the same 13 performance indicators as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, but these have been recalibrated to reflect the attributes of Asia’s universities. Here’s the methodology in full.
Top five universities in Asia
1. Tsinghua University, China
Tsinghua University has been committed to a multidisciplinary system for more than 30 years, having undergone many changes since its establishment in 1911.
It is known as one of the most elite universities in China, admitting only those students who score extremely highly in the national exams.
The university offers 51 undergraduate programmes and more than 200 postgraduate degrees.
Tsinghua, which features in the top 20 in the overall THE World University Rankings, also achieves a top 40 position in all 11 of Times Higher Education’s subject rankings.
The campus is in northwest Beijing in a district specifically designated as a university hub. Its buildings feature examples of both traditional Chinese architecture and Western styles. Built on the former site of the Qing dynasty royal gardens, the campus has been named one of the most beautiful in the world.
Many graduates become influential at home and abroad, most notably in Chinese politics. Particle physicist Chen-Ning Yang is a Nobel prizewinner associated with the university.
2. Peking University, China
Peking University was the first modern national university in China, founded at the end of the 19th century.
Now it is known as a centre for progressive thought and research excellence. It has 216 research centres, two of which are national engineering institutions.
Although the university teaches and researches across science, the social sciences and humanities, it particularly stands out internationally for physical sciences and engineering.
The university library is the largest of its kind in Asia, holding 11 million books and other resources.
After relocating in 1952, the main campus is now on the former site of the Qing dynasty imperial gardens and still has some of the original features and landscaping, including gardens, pagodas and historic buildings.
The entrance gates to the campus have murals on the ceiling that are attractions in their own right.
On campus, there are specific dormitories for the 2,000 international students.
Many prominent thinkers in China are alumni of Peking University. Three Nobel prizewinners are also associated with the institution.
3. National University of Singapore, Singapore
The oldest institution in Singapore and the largest by student numbers, the National University of Singapore combines research excellence and innovation.
It ranks in the top 25 in the world overall, with particularly high scores for research and international outlook, and a standout performance in engineering and technology, law and computer science.
The entrepreneurial focus at the university dates back three decades to the formation of a dedicated centre for innovation and technopreneurship.
NUS uses Oxbridge-style teaching through small group tutorials, and US-style course credits to make up the degree requirements. Degree programmes are more flexible than those in the UK; as in the US system, students may transfer between courses early in their degree, take modules across different faculties and are required to have a broad, cross-disciplinary selection of courses.
Many students live on campus in one of the 6,000 residential places across various halls, all served by an internal shuttle bus to take them around campus.
Notable alumni include four Singaporean prime ministers and presidents, two Malaysian prime ministers, and many other politicians, businesspeople and local luminaries.
4. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
English is the main language of instruction at the University of Hong Kong, located in Pokfulam.
It was founded by the British governor in 1911 but began to integrate Chinese culture and education into its courses by 1927, when the first degree in Chinese was offered.
The buildings on the main campus in the Mid-Levels neighbourhood of Hong Kong Island are some of the only remaining examples of British colonial architecture. The Main Building, completed in 1912, is the oldest structure and has been declared a national monument.
Admissions are extremely selective: there are about 12 applications for every place for an international undergraduate. For students from mainland China, only one student gets a place for every 31 applications.
Undergraduate courses take four years to complete, with a further year or two for medical programmes. All local students are now required to take English and Chinese language courses.
HKU graduates have been fundamentally involved in building modern China’s political, economic and cultural landscape. Many are also in senior positions in the private sector.
5. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore is a research-intensive university with three campuses in Singapore.
As well as featuring in the top five in the 2022 Asia University Rankings, the institution also ranks highly for engineering and technology and computer science courses.
It consists of six colleges and schools as well as several research institutes, including Singapore’s National Institute of Education and the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Spread over 200 acres, the Yunnan Garden Campus is the largest university campus in Singapore and is often considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.
The best universities in Asia 2022: the top 100
Asia University Rankings 2022
The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2022 featured top colleges and universities from over 31 territories in Asia.
With Japan’s 118 universities marking their spot in the chart, the country represents the highest number of universities making to the rankings this year. While China bags the second place with 97 ranked institutions, India follows as the third most represented country, with 71 of its universities making it to the rankings. In terms of the top 10 institutions, China leads the way with several entries along with smaller geos such as South Korea, Hong Kong, etc.
While the Times Higher Education World University Rankings are based on 13 performance indicators, the Asia University Rankings reflect the attributes of Asian universities.
The Five Groups of Performance Indicators for Asian Universities
- Teaching
- Research
- Citations
- International Outlook
- Industry Income
The Universities Adjudged as Top 5 Universities in Asia for the Year 2022
1. Tsinghua University, China
- Multidisciplinary system
- Offers 51 undergraduate programs and more than 200 postgraduate degrees
- Also features in the top 20 universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- Alma mater of yesteryear’s Nobel laureate particle physicist Chen-Ning Yang and many more notable scholars
2. Peking University, China
- Known for its research excellence
- It has around 216 research centers, 2 of which are national engineering institutions
- Teaches and researches across science, social sciences, and humanities
- Internationally recognized for physical sciences and engineering
- Largest library in Asia with over 11 million books and other resources
- It’s an alma mater of 3 Nobel laureates and other renowned scientists
3. National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Known for its research and international outlook
- Ranks in the top 25 in the World University Rankings
- Stands out for exemplary performance in engineering and technology, law, and computer science
- Instils entrepreneurial focus with its dedicated center for innovation and technopreneurship
- Has adapted Oxbridge-style teaching through small group tutorials along with US-style course credits
- Flexible degree programs with easy course transfers across disciplines
- Four Singaporean prime ministers and presidents, two Malaysian prime ministers, and others are amongst notable alumni of NUS
4. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Follows English as the main language of instruction
- Its 10 academic faculties include: dentistry, biomedicine, architecture, education, humanities, law, economics, business administrations, linguistics, and political science.
- Past students have held senior positions in several sectors
5. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Research-intensive
- Renowned for engineering, technology, and computer science courses.