Imperial College London tops Oxford, Cambridge in global university rankings

MIT topped the table again, but Imperial came in 2nd in the QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings

Imperial College London has won out over traditional powerhouses Oxford and Cambridge to take the spot of the best university in the UK, according to the QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings.

It is the first time in 10 years that neither of the big two topped the list of UK universities, reports The Times, a British national daily.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) topped the table, as it has for 13 consecutive years. Imperial came in second, followed by Oxford, Harvard, and Cambridge to round out the top five universities.

Imperial jumped four places from last year to secure the second spot.

QS said the higher education institute’s improved position was because of research performance, employability scores and sustainability commitment.

“In the decade since Imperial College London was last crowned the United Kingdom’s leading university, the country’s sector has relentlessly continued to achieve world-leading performances despite the turbulence the country has faced, producing world-leading research and remaining one of the globe’s premier study destinations,” said Jessica Turner, QS’s chief executive.

QS said that higher education in Britain was struggling due to funding shortages and ambiguity in the status of international students.

“Imperial’s ranking is a testament to the quality and commitment of our entire community,” said Imperial President Prof Hugh Brady. “It is inspiring to see our students, staff and partners come together every day to interrogate the forces that shape our world and address the challenges facing humanity and our planet.”

The 2025 edition of the rankings was the largest ever run by the higher education analytics firm, featuring over 1,500 universities across 105 higher education systems. The rankings take into account the perspectives of 175,798 academics and 105,476 employers.

Universities are assessed on their international reputation, teaching capacity, sustainability, graduates’ employability, research collaboration and levels of international collaboration.

The US was the most represented country with 197 ranked institutions, followed by the UK with 90, and mainland China with 71.

The National University of Singapore was the highest-ranked Asian university, coming in at eight.

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay was the highest-ranked educational institution from South Asia, coming in at 118.

Dhaka University was the top-ranked among Bangladeshi universities, taking the 554th spot in the rankings. It was followed by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, which was listed in the 761-770 range, North South University in the 901-950 range, BRAC University in the 1001-1200 range, and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology in the 1200-1400 range.