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NUS, NTU claim top two spots in Asian university rankings

SINGAPORE — Two Singaporean universities, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), clinched the top two spots in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2016 released on Tuesday (June 21).

National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. Photo: Channelnewsasia/TODAY

National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. Photo: Channelnewsasia/TODAY

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SINGAPORE — Two Singaporean universities, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), clinched the top two spots in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2016 released on Tuesday (June 21). 

NUS emerged number one in Asia, while NTU was ranked in second place jointly with China’s Peking University. This is the first time in four years that two Singaporean universities have topped the list. The ranking included 200 universities across 22 countries, up from 14 last year. 

Mr Phil Baty, rankings editor at Times Higher Education magazine, pointed out that the results were “even more impressive” given that NUS had entered the top 25 in the traditional World University Rankings for the first time last year, while NTU rose more than 100 places in the same list in four years.

“Singapore’s rankings success follows substantial and sustained higher education funding from the Government ... and focused strategies to attract top international scholars on behalf of universities,” he said. “This ranking cements Singapore as a prime case study of how to challenge elite Western institutions and become a rising university star.”

NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan said that the latest results affirm NUS’ “strong reputation as a leading global university”. Just last week, NUS topped the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings for Asian universities. 

Noting the changing nature of jobs and that higher education in Asia is evolving at an “unprecedented pace and scale”, Prof Tan added that NUS would need to be “even more strategic and adaptive in the coming years, while intensifying efforts in nurturing future-ready graduates”.

Professor Bertil Andersson, president of NTU, said the university is “the youngest university among the top 10 in this league table” and the latest results showed that “Singapore is now the top city in Asia for higher education”. “We hope NTU’s success will inspire all young universities in the world, that a strong commitment to rapid transformation is possible and achievable as long as you work hard at it,” he added.

The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings uses the same 13 indicators as its World University Rankings, with a variation on the weighting among those indicators.

The Asia ranking places more importance on industry income and research income, and also on productivity in terms of publications, with less emphasis on reputational elements. 

The full results can be accessed at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2016/regional-ranking.

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