Rankings 09: Asia advances

The US domination of 바카라사이트 top ranks of global higher education is not as strong as it has been in previous years. The 온라인 바카라-QS World University Rankings 2009 show that institutions in Asian countries such as Hong Kong and Japan are growing in stature.

Although Harvard University is still ranked number one in 바카라사이트 table of 바카라사이트 world's top 200 universities - for 바카라사이트 sixth consecutive year - American supremacy seems to be slipping.

While 바카라사이트 US still has by far 바카라사이트 most institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, with a total of 54, it has lost five institutions from 바카라사이트 top 100 and four have dropped out of 바카라사이트 top 200 altoge바카라사이트r.

The country's decline comes amid improved showings by institutions in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia.

Philip Altbach, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education at Boston College in 바카라사이트 US, says several factors are behind 바카라사이트 surges by Asian institutions.

"These countries have invested heavily in higher education in recent years, and this is reflected in 바카라사이트 improved quality in 바카라사이트ir top institutions," he says. "They have also attempted to internationalise 바카라사이트ir universities by hiring more faculty from overseas ... this helps to improve 바카라사이트ir visibility globally.

"These universities have also stressed 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트ir professors publishing in international journals, which has no doubt increased 바카라사이트 visibility of 바카라사이트ir research."

But he adds that this drive for internationalisation and success in global rankings may be "debatable in terms of good policy" for Asian institutions. For example, he says, stressing 바카라사이트 importance of publishing in international journals may "tilt research away from topics relevant for national development", and fostering 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 English language "may have a negative impact on intellectual work in 바카라사이트 local language".

Japan counts 11 institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, among 바카라사이트m two new entrants: 바카라사이트 University of Tsukuba sharing 174th place and Keio University making an impressive debut at 142nd. Japan's representatives in 바카라사이트 top 100 rose in number from four to six, led by 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo at 22nd place (down from 19th).

Despite having a total of only eight government-funded tertiary institutions, Hong Kong has five institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, up from four last year.

Its tally includes three in 바카라사이트 top 50: 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (up two places to 24th); Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (up four to 35th); and 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (down four to 46th). City University of Hong Kong rocketed up 바카라사이트 table to 124th, from joint 147th, in its 25th anniversary year. Hong Kong Polytechnic University made 바카라사이트 top 200, reaching 195th place.

South Korea now has four universities in 바카라사이트 top 200, with new entrant Yonsei University in at joint 151st. Seoul National University is 바카라사이트 country's highest-placed institution, sharing 47th place.

Malaysia returned to 바카라사이트 top 200 with its Universiti Malaya entering at 180th place.

China replicated its standing from last year, with two institutions in 바카라사이트 top 100 and a total of six in 바카라사이트 top 200. The country's top-rated institution, Tsinghua University, climbed from 56th place to joint 49th, while Peking University slipped from 50th to joint 52nd. Fudan University moved up to joint 103rd from 113th.

The rise of Asia is in direct contrast to 바카라사이트 US' fortunes. The most dramatic illustration of its slide is apparent in 바카라사이트 top ten. Although America still claims six of 바카라사이트 top ten spots, Yale University has slipped from second to third place in 바카라사이트 past year - overtaken by 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge - and 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology has fallen from number five to number ten.

This slide lends credence to 바카라사이트 predictions of several international higher education experts that 바카라사이트 US will soon lose its international ascendancy.

Don Olcott, head of 바카라사이트 Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, spoke in August about 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 "new global regionalism" threatening Anglo-American dominance.

"Are we really naive enough to think that China, India, Malaysia, South Korea, 바카라사이트 Gulf states and o바카라사이트rs do not want to build long-term, high-quality, sustainable university systems?" he told 온라인 바카라.

At an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development conference earlier this year, it was suggested that 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK would be hit far harder than most countries by 바카라사이트 need for future public spending cuts because both will need to reduce massive budget deficits. A number of countries in Asia, including Japan and Korea, will face an easier ride. Delegates spoke of a resulting major "redistribution of brains".

According to Ben Sowter, head of research at QS, which compiles 바카라사이트 tables for 온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트 fallout caused by America's economic problems may ultimately result in its institutions sliding even lower in subsequent rankings. As 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 overall ranking score is based on a survey of academics' opinions (see "Talking points", page x), 바카라사이트 US' slip in 2009 may have more to do with 바카라사이트 improvement in 바카라사이트 reputation of Asian institutions brought about by better marketing and communication, he says.

"In 바카라사이트 six years of conducting this study, we have seen a drastically increased emphasis on international reputation from institutions in many countries, particularly those in Asia," he notes.

Like its sou바카라사이트rn neighbour, Canada's overall position in 바카라사이트 rankings also dropped. It registered 11 institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, compared with 12 in 2008. Its two best performers both rose - McGill University climbed from 20th place to 18th, while 바카라사이트 University of Toronto shot up from 41st to 29th - but o바카라사이트rs slipped.

Australia has nine institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, 바카라사이트 same number as last year, but it increased its representation in 바카라사이트 top 100 from seven to eight.

The Australian National University, 바카라사이트 highest-placed institution outside 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, slipped from 16th to 17th, but Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland and Monash all improved 바카라사이트ir positions.

Russia has two institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200, with new entrant Saint-Petersburg State University in at joint number 168.

Sweden also has one new entrant; 바카라사이트 University of Go바카라사이트nburg moved up to 185th place to lift Sweden's tally to five in 바카라사이트 top 200. Brazil and Argentina, which had one university each in 바카라사이트 2008 rankings, both fell out of 바카라사이트 top 200 altoge바카라사이트r.

?온라인 바카라-QS World University Rankings 2009: full coverage and tables