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Best universities in Asia 2023

Find the top universities in Asia, using Times Higher Education’s rankings data

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June 22 2023
Best universities in Asia

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The best universities in Asia 2023: the top 10

Asia Rank 2023Asia Rank 2022UniversityCountry/regionWorld University Rank 2023
11Tsinghua UniversityChina16
22Peking UniversityChina17
33National University of SingaporeSingapore19
44University of Hong KongHong Kong31
55Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeSingapore36
67Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong45
79The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong58
86The University of TokyoJapan39
=910Fudan UniversityChina51
=913Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina52

The 2023 Asia University Rankings reveal the best colleges and universities in Asia, featuring institutions from 31 territories.

Japan leads the way with 117 universities in the ranking, while China comes second with 95 ranked institutions. India is the third most represented country, with 75 universities.

China is the most represented region in the top 10, with four universities present. 

The Asia University Rankings are based on the same 13 performance indicators as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, but these have been recalibrated to reflect the attributes of Asia’s universities. Here’s the methodology in full.

Top five universities in Asia

Scroll down for the top 100

1. Tsinghua University, China

Tsinghua University has been committed to a multidisciplinary system for more than 30 years, having undergone many changes since its establishment in 1911.

It is known as one of the most elite universities in China, admitting only those students who score extremely highly in the national exams.

The university offers 51 undergraduate programmes and more than 200 postgraduate degrees.

Tsinghua, which features in the top 20 in the overall THE World University Rankings, also achieves a top 40 position in all 11 of Times Higher Education’s subject rankings. 

The campus is in northwest Beijing in a district specifically designated as a university hub. Its buildings feature examples of both traditional Chinese architecture and Western styles. Built on the former site of the Qing dynasty royal gardens, the campus has been named one of the most beautiful in the world.

Many graduates become influential at home and abroad, most notably in Chinese politics. Particle physicist Chen-Ning Yang is a Nobel prizewinner associated with the university.

2. Peking University, China

Peking University was the first modern national university in China, founded at the end of the 19th century.

Now it is known as a centre for progressive thought and research excellence. It has 216 research centres, two of which are national engineering institutions.

Although the university teaches and researches across science, the social sciences and humanities, it particularly stands out internationally for physical sciences and engineering.

The university library is the largest of its kind in Asia, holding 11 million books and other resources.

After relocating in 1952, the main campus is now on the former site of the Qing dynasty imperial gardens and still has some of the original features and landscaping, including gardens, pagodas and historic buildings.

The entrance gates to the campus have murals on the ceiling that are attractions in their own right.

On campus, there are specific dormitories for the 2,000 international students.

Many prominent thinkers in China are alumni of Peking University. Three Nobel prizewinners are also associated with the institution.


Best universities in Singapore
Best universities in China
Best universities in India
Best universities in Hong Kong
Best universities in Taiwan
Best universities in Pakistan
Best universities in South Korea
Best universities in Japan
Best universities in Malaysia


3. National University of Singapore, Singapore

The oldest institution in Singapore and the largest by student numbers, the National University of Singapore combines research excellence and innovation.

It ranks in the top 20 in the world overall, with particularly high scores for research and international outlook, and a standout performance in engineering and technology, law and computer science. 

The entrepreneurial focus at the university dates back three decades to the formation of a dedicated centre for innovation and technopreneurship.

NUS uses Oxbridge-style teaching through small-group tutorials, and US-style course credits to make up the degree requirements. Degree programmes are more flexible than those in the UK; as in the US system, students may transfer between courses early in their degree and take modules across different faculties, and are required to have a broad, cross-disciplinary selection of courses.

Many students live on campus in one of the 6,000 residential places across various halls, all served by an internal shuttle bus to take them around campus.

Notable alumni include four Singaporean prime ministers and presidents, two Malaysian prime ministers and many other politicians, businesspeople and local luminaries.

4. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

English is the main language of instruction at the University of Hong Kong, located in Pokfulam.

It was founded by the British governor in 1911 but began to integrate Chinese culture and education into its courses by 1927, when the first degree in Chinese was offered.

The buildings on the main campus in the Mid-Levels neighbourhood of Hong Kong Island are some of the only remaining examples of British colonial architecture. The Main Building, completed in 1912, is the oldest structure and has been declared a national monument.

Admissions are extremely selective: there are about 12 applications for every place for an international undergraduate. For students from mainland China, only one student gets a place for every 31 applications.

Undergraduate courses take four years to complete, with a further year or two for medical programmes. All local students are now required to take English- and Chinese-language courses.

HKU graduates have been fundamentally involved in building modern China’s political, economic and cultural landscape. Many are also in senior positions in the private sector.

5. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore is a research-intensive university with three campuses in Singapore.

As well as featuring in the top five in the 2023 Asia University Rankings, the institution also ranks highly for engineering and technology, and computer science courses.

It consists of six colleges and schools as well as several research institutes, including Singapore’s National Institute of Education and the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

Spread over 200 acres, the Yunnan Garden Campus is the largest university campus in Singapore and is often considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.


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The best universities in Asia 2023: the top 100

Asia Rank 2023Asia Rank 2022UniversityCountry/regionWorld University Rank 2023
11Tsinghua UniversityChina16
22Peking UniversityChina17
33National University of SingaporeSingapore19
44University of Hong KongHong Kong31
55Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeSingapore36
67Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong45
79The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong58
86The University of TokyoJapan39
=910Fudan UniversityChina51
=913Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina52
118Seoul National UniversitySouth Korea56
1211Zhejiang UniversityChina67
13=21Yonsei University (Seoul campus)South Korea78
1415Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong79
1516University of Science and Technology of ChinaChina74
1624City University of Hong KongHong Kong=99
1714Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)South Korea=91
1812Kyoto UniversityJapan68
1917Nanjing UniversityChina=95
2028King Abdulaziz UniversitySaudi Arabia=101
2120Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)South Korea174
2223Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)South Korea=163
2319Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)China=166
2418Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)South Korea=170
2526Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyChina=176
2625Wuhan UniversityChina173
2727Korea UniversitySouth Korea201–250
2846Qatar UniversityQatar201–250
=2948King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsSaudi Arabia201–250
=29=21National Taiwan University (NTU)Taiwan=187
=2966Sichuan UniversityChina=196
3230Tel Aviv UniversityIsrael201–250
3335China Medical University, TaiwanTaiwan251–300
34=31Tohoku UniversityJapan201–250
=35=31Kyung Hee UniversitySouth Korea251–300
=3536Macau University of Science and TechnologyMacao201–250
3733University of MacauMacao201–250
38=44King Saud UniversitySaudi Arabia251–300
3941Sejong UniversitySouth Korea251–300
4060United Arab Emirates UniversityUnited Arab Emirates251–300
4143Tongji UniversityChina251–300
4240Beijing Normal UniversityChina251–300
4329Taipei Medical UniversityTaiwan301–350
4438Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina251–300
=4537Khalifa UniversityUnited Arab Emirates351–400
=4572University of SharjahUnited Arab Emirates251–300
4753Osaka UniversityJapan251–300
4842Indian Institute of ScienceIndia251–300
=49=78Asia University, TaiwanTaiwan351–400
=49=57Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael251–300
=4950Nagoya UniversityJapan301–350
52=76Koç UniversityTurkey401–500
5334Alfaisal UniversitySaudi Arabia301–350
5439Central South UniversityChina351–400
55107Harbin Institute of TechnologyChina351–400
5649Tokyo Institute of TechnologyJapan301–350
=5747Hanyang UniversitySouth Korea401–500
=5761South China University of TechnologyChina401–500
59NRAbu Dhabi UniversityUnited Arab Emirates301–350
60=62Universiti Brunei DarussalamBrunei Darussalam301–350
=61=55Nankai UniversityChina301–350
=61=62Tianjin UniversityChina401–500
6395Universiti Teknologi PetronasMalaysia401–500
6470Sharif University of TechnologyIran401–500
65=68Mazandaran University of Medical SciencesIran351–400
66=55University of MalayaMalaysia351–400
6774Hunan UniversityChina401–500
6865JSS Academy of Higher Education and ResearchIndia351–400
=69=51East China Normal UniversityChina351–400
=69NRGolestan University of Medical SciencesIran351–400
=71=51American University of BeirutLebanon351–400
=7164Kurdistan University of Medical SciencesIran351–400
=7154Shenzhen UniversityChina401–500
74=96Iran University of Science and TechnologyIran501–600
75NRImam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic UniversitySaudi Arabia351–400
76=78Sabancı UniversityTurkey401–500
77NRShoolini University of Biotechnology and Management SciencesIndia351–400
=78=57Babol Noshirvani University of TechnologyIran401–500
=7886Southeast UniversityChina401–500
=7871Southern Medical UniversityChina401–500
81=84Xiamen UniversityChina401–500
8267University of HailSaudi Arabia351–400
83NRQazvin University of Medical SciencesIran401–500
84NRAteneo de Manila UniversityPhilippines351–400
85=44National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaiwan501–600
=86NRBabol University of Medical SciencesIran401–500
=86=84University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChina401–500
=8673Ton Duc Thang UniversityVietnam401–500
89123Middle East Technical UniversityTurkey501–600
90=87Northwestern Polytechnical UniversityChina501–600
9182Beihang UniversityChina501–600
=92=105Beijing Institute of TechnologyChina501–600
=92NRQom University of Medical SciencesIran401–500
9481Gwangju Institute of Science and TechnologySouth Korea501–600
=95=139Mahatma Gandhi UniversityIndia401–500
=9559National Tsing Hua UniversityTaiwan501–600
=95=76Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityChina501–600
98116Quaid-i-Azam UniversityPakistan401–500
=9975Cankaya UniversityTurkey401–500
=99117University of International Business and EconomicsChina401–500
=99NRJazan UniversitySaudi Arabia401–500
=99148Universiti Utara MalaysiaMalaysia401–500

The Asia University Rankings 2023: full results


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