Yesterday (Nov. 5), the global higher education analysis agency Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) topped the list as Asia's best, reclaiming the number one spot after 15 years. Furthermore, five Hong Kong universities ranked within the top ten in Asia. Among the 11 ranked Hong Kong institutions, nine saw their positions improve, with four achieving their highest historical rankings. Hong Kong demonstrated the highest rate of improvement across Asia, signifying new heights for its higher education sector on the international stage.
QS described the remarkable progress of Hong Kong institutions as reflecting the effectiveness of the SAR government's decisive investments and policy reforms. These efforts have successfully built a "research-industry-global" ecosystem, establishing Hong Kong as Asia's higher education system with the strongest international links.
The QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026 evaluate institutions based on 11 indicators, including Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Faculty/Student Ratio, and International Research Network. This edition ranked 1,529 universities from 25 higher education systems, the largest scale to date, reflecting the increasingly fierce competition within the Asian region.
Hong Kong's standout performance
In the overall rankings, HKU claimed the top spot this year, surpassing Peking University, which dropped to second place. Nanyang Technological University rose one place to joint third with the National University of Singapore. Both the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) broke into the top ten, ranking sixth and tenth respectively, with the latter entering the Asian top ten for the first time. City University of Hong Kong (CityU), which rose three places, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), which dropped one place, tied for seventh in Asia.
Professor Xiang Zhang, President of HKU, said, "The sustained enhancement of HKU's international reputation stems from our university community's steadfast commitment to academic excellence. This ranking is not only an affirmation of HKU's academic strength but also reflects the university's pivotal role in the global higher education landscape."
He further emphasized that being recognized as Asia's top university is both a great honour and a significant responsibility. Against the backdrop of Asia's rise as a knowledge hub, universities that are both locally grounded and globally minded are needed.
"HKU will promote academic exchange, nurture talent, and continue to challenge academic frontiers through collaboration within the region and beyond."
Significant gains across multiple institutions
Other Hong Kong institutions also delivered strong performances. Three publicly-funded universities—Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), and Lingnan University (LU)—all saw improved rankings. Among self-financing institutions, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) made the most significant leap in Hong Kong, soaring over 140 places to rank 393rd.
In summary, nine of the 11 ranked Hong Kong institutions improved their positions. Among them, PolyU, EdUHK, HKMU, and Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) achieved their best-ever historical results.
Professor Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, which rose to sixth in Asia, expressed delight at the university's achievement in international rankings. She stated that this honour testifies to the collective efforts of the university community and represents significant support for the Hong Kong SAR government's vision of promoting "Study in Hong Kong." She affirmed HKUST's unwavering commitment to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and knowledge transfer.
QS analysis: The "research-industry-global" ecosystem
QS indicated that the rise of Hong Kong universities benefited from strong performance in indicators including Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, International Faculty Ratio, and Inbound Exchange Student Ratio. Among the 11 Hong Kong universities, eight improved in the Inbound Exchange Students indicator, and five also progressed in the Outbound Exchange Students indicator. Seven universities saw their Academic Reputation scores increase, with the average score for Hong Kong institutions being the highest in Asia. Six universities improved in Employer Reputation.
Analyzing Hong Kong's outstanding performance, QS noted that the SAR government's core model, focusing on internationalization, research excellence, and targeted talent policies—such as the InnoHK initiative and the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)—has successfully constructed a "research-industry-global" ecosystem. This has made Hong Kong's higher education system the most internationally connected in Asia and demonstrates how smaller systems can strategically focus to outperform larger ones. QS emphasized that sustained investment and innovation are crucial for Hong Kong institutions to consolidate and expand their regional leadership.
Hong Kong's strategic position and global appeal
Against the backdrop of instability in the international higher education environment due to Western geopolitical influences, QS stated that Asia is increasingly seen as a safe, high-quality, and cost-competitive education hub. Hong Kong's bilingual environment, academic excellence, and world-class infrastructure consolidate its role as a bridge between East and West, successfully attracting regional and global students. Student numbers from Mainland China, India, and Southeast Asia, among other places, have shown sustained growth.
Ben Sowter, QS Senior Vice President, noted that Hong Kong has established itself as a high-quality choice for international students based on its own merits. This includes HKU being rated as the best in Asia and four of the 11 ranked universities achieving their historical bests, reflecting their excellent reputation among academics and global employers.
He added that the ranking analysis also identified areas for potential improvement for Hong Kong institutions, saying that addressing these aspects will further consolidate the leading position of Hong Kong's universities in the field of Asian higher education.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Luk Nga-nam; English Editor: Darius)
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