Asia gains ground as US, UK lead in global university subject rankings

The rankings, which assess over 18,300 programs across 1,700 universities in 100 countries, highlight the intensifying global competition in higher education.

U.S. institutions continue to dominate, leading in 32 subjects, with Harvard ranking first in 15 and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 11.

U.K. universities excel in 18 subjects, with Cambridge securing the top spot in four. The University of Leeds recorded 53 subject entries, the highest among U.K. institutions, according to QS, a British higher education analytics firm.

The U.K. saw an overall increase in its subject rankings, with 1,831 entries from 104 institutions this year, up from 1,797 in 2024.

Asia's rapid rise

Asian universities have outpaced their U.K. counterparts in subject ranking improvements.

Mainland China, in particular, has expanded its presence in the top 50, growing from 100 subject entries in 2020 to 231 this year - a 131% increase. The number of Chinese universities ranking in the top 10 has also surged from five to 21 - up 320%.

Hong Kong also demonstrated strong growth, with its top 10 subject entries increasing from two to six and its top 50 rankings rising from 76 to 108, a 42% increase.

Singapore has seen the most dramatic gains, with top 10 subject rankings soaring from eight to 34 - a 325% rise.

The University of Hong Kong leads in Asia, ranking in the top 200 for 55 subjects, the highest of any institution in the region. It also recorded the most ranking improvements this year (47), followed by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (43).

"Our largest-ever subjects rankings continue to illuminate factors influencing the quality of higher education institutions globally. The countries that have traditionally led international university rankings, despite continuing to dominate the top places, are beginning to be challenged by developing higher education markets," Ben Sowter, QS vice president, told The PIE News.

"This is evident in the strong performances of countries in Asia and the Middle East this year – a trend that is likely to only continue given the financial hardships universities in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada are facing," he added.

The 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject cover 55 disciplines across five broad academic fields: Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management.

This year's edition is the most extensive to date, with 171 new institutions added compared to the 2024 rankings. Subjects such as medicine, computer science & information systems, and materials science now include more ranked universities than ever before.