City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is committed to fostering innovation in education and research, cultivating future leaders with a global perspective. In the latest international rankings, CityU's research achievements have received significant recognition. The university has ranked first in HK and 70th globally in the "2025 Research Leaders" ranking released by the Nature Index.
Moreover, CityU's research has made remarkable contributions to the application of innovation in industries. In the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Global Innovation Index 2025, the "Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou" cluster was ranked first globally in the World Top 100 Innovation Clusters. CityU's HK Tech 300 initiative was highlighted as a key example of how higher education institutions can drive a thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
CityU leads in research excellence
CityU has demonstrated outstanding performance in high-quality research output, achieving global academic influence and recognition. In the latest "2025 Research Leaders" ranking by the Nature Index, CityU ranked first in HK and 70th globally.
This ranking covers over 18,000 institutions worldwide, including universities, research institutes, government departments, and other organizations. It calculates the contribution share of each institution in publishing articles in leading journals such as Nature, Science, and The Lancet. Among the five disciplines assessed by the Nature Index, CityU scholars ranked in the global top 50 and first in HK for their article contribution shares in the fields of physical sciences and chemistry. This remarkable achievement highlights the exceptional quality and impact of CityU researchers' work.
CityU shines in the global rankings
CityU's impressive research accomplishments also reflect its strength in driving innovation and research development. According to the recently announced Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, CityU ranked 75th globally out of 2,191 universities across 115 countries and regions, climbing three spots from the previous year and achieving its highest position to date. It continues to lead in the indicators of "Industry" and "International Outlook," ranking first globally and in HK, respectively. These results underscore CityU's excellence in industrial collaboration and international partnerships.
CityU's efforts in advancing innovation and technology have not only earned acknowledgment from international academic organizations but also recognition from the HKSAR government.
In September, WIPO released the Global Innovation Index 2025 World Top 100 Innovation Clusters, where the "Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou" cluster claimed the top position globally. The Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, highlighted CityU's HK Tech 300 initiative as a prime example of how universities in HK are driving innovation and entrepreneurship through various support programs, fostering the growth of the innovation and technology ecosystem.
From academic achievements to global influence
CityU now maintains its position in the global top 100 across four major university rankings. In addition to the UK-based THE World University Rankings, CityU is also listed in the top 100 rankings of academic institutions in China, the US, and the UK. This achievement makes CityU one of only two institutions in HK to receive this distinction.
In the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) released in August, CityU broke into the global top 100 for the first time, ranking 99th and second in HK. This marks the second time in history that a HK university has reached the top 100 since the ARWU ranking began in 2003.
Additionally, in the US News & World Report 2025–26 Best Global Universities Rankings, CityU ranked 54th out of 2,250 universities, a jump of 25 places from last year. It also climbed to 9th in Asia and 3rd in HK. Meanwhile, in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, CityU held steady at 63rd globally, ranking second worldwide for citation impact, just behind Harvard University.
CityU's achievements extend beyond rankings. The university has accumulated over 1,800 patented technologies to date, with 32 scholars included in Clarivate's 2024 Highly Cited Researchers list. For nine consecutive years, CityU has ranked first in HK for the proportion of highly cited researchers relative to faculty size.
CityU President and University Distinguished Professor Freddy Boey remarked, "In recent years, CityU has achieved remarkable growth, with its academic and research achievements gaining recognition both locally and internationally. Our consistent position in the global top 100 across four major international rankings underscores CityU's dedication to innovation and academic excellence, which has earned professional recognition worldwide. CityU will continue to promote internationalized education and research collaboration, addressing global challenges through pioneering research and industry-academia partnerships, and nurturing future leaders with a global vision to strengthen the 'Study in HK' brand."
HK Tech 300: Driving the growth of tech startups
CityU Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) Professor Yang Mengsu highlighted that the rankings reflect CityU's leading position in high-quality research output, extraordinary research capabilities, and international academic influence.
He added, "CityU is committed to transforming internationally leading research results into practical applications that can lead to industrialization and commercialization. In 2021, we launched the HK Tech 300 initiative to support the development of the startup ecosystem through funding, research resources, business networks, and investment matching."
To date, HK Tech 300 has nurtured over 1,000 startup teams, with more than 200 startups receiving angel funding of HK$1 million each. Nearly 20% of these startups have leveraged CityU's patented technologies in their projects.
CityU actively collaborates with global partners across government, industry, academia, and research sectors. Over 100 public and private organizations have joined as strategic and investment partners of HK Tech 300.
On average, every HK$1 invested in the program has attracted five times more external investment for startups. This has effectively facilitated the sharing of innovation and entrepreneurship resources in HK and around the world, creating vast opportunities for the growth of startups.
(Source: Ta Kung Pao; English Intern Editor: Phoebe; English Editor: Zoey SUN)
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