Top universities to go for higher studies

The 2021 version of the Best Global Universities rankings was published today by US News & World Report, the global source for education rankings. With data on nearly 1,500 colleges, the rankings assess academic research and prestige among universities from dozens of countries.

For anyone who is planning on going abroad for higher studies should take look at the list and research further on their desired subject, university and country.

"The Best Global Universities methodology places significant emphasis on academic research," said Robert Morse, chief data strategist at US News. "With rankings by subject, region and country, students and their families can easily learn more about schools based on their specific needs and interests."

The overall top 10 universities for the next academic year are represented by two countries: the United States and the United Kingdom. Harvard University retains its No 1 spot, while the Institute of Technology of Massachusetts is No 2. Third and fourth, respectively, are Stanford University and the University of California-Berkeley. The Oxford University of the United Kingdom finished in the top five in the overall ranking.

Schools from 86 countries are part of this year's version, up from 81 last year. In the overall ranking, the US has the most universities, with 255, followed by the following countries: China 176, UK 87, France 70, Germany 68.

Ten new subject rankings were added this year, for a total of 38. The new subjects are biotechnology and applied microbiology; cell biology; chemical engineering; endocrinology and metabolism; energy and fuels; gastroenterology and hepatology; infectious diseases; nanoscience and nanotechnology; public, environmental and occupational health; and radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging. China is home to six of the top 10 schools in several of these subjects: chemical engineering, energy and fuels, and nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Based on Web of Science data and InCites metrics provided by Clarivate, a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, the Best Global Universities methodology weighs factors that measure a university's global and regional research reputation and academic research performance. For the overall rankings, this includes bibliometric indicators such as publications, citations and international collaboration. Each subject ranking has its own methodology based on academic research performance in that specific area.

"The coronavirus pandemic has introduced additional factors to consider when pursuing higher education, especially if you're looking to earn a degree abroad," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at US News. "For prospective students, the Best Global Universities rankings provide a solid place to begin your search, create an initial list of schools and compare overall academic quality."

Overall Best Global Universities – Top 10

1. Harvard University (US)

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)

3. Stanford University (US)

4. University of California–Berkeley (US)

5. University of Oxford (UK)

6. Columbia University (US)

7. California Institute of Technology (US)

8. University of Washington (US)

9. University of Cambridge (UK)

10. Johns Hopkins University (US)

Africa – Top 3

1. University of Cape Town (South Africa)

2. University of Witwatersrand (South Africa)

3. Stellenbosch University (South Africa)

Asia – Top 3

1. Tsinghua University (China)

2. National University of Singapore

3. Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

Australia/New Zealand – Top 3

1. University of Melbourne (Australia)

2. University of Sydney

3. University of Queensland Australia

Europe – Top 3

1. University of Oxford (UK)

2. University of Cambridge (UK)

3. University College London

Latin America – Top 3

1. Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil)

2. State University of Campinas (Brazil)

3. Pontificia University Católica de Chile