- Times Higher Education released its 2027 rankings, covering 103 Chinese universities scored on teaching, research, and industry connections
- Tsinghua University and Peking University claimed the top two spots, both finishing in the global top 15
- Several institutions outside China's capital also featured strongly, with rankings stretching from coastal cities to inland provinces
Times Higher Education has published its 2027 World University Rankings for China, evaluating 103 institutions across the country on five key areas: teaching quality, research environment, research quality, industry connections, and international outlook.
The rankings are produced by Times Higher Education's data team and are used by students, academics, university administrators, policymakers, and industry partners globally to assess higher education quality.
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China's best universities in 2027
- Tsinghua University
- Peking University
- Zhejiang University
- Fudan University
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- University of Science and Technology of China
- Nanjing University
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Wuhan University
- Tongji University
Tsinghua University took the top spot among Chinese institutions, finishing 11th in the world with an overall score of 93.9. It recorded a perfect 100 in both industry connections and research environment, with teaching coming in at 96.
Peking University came second nationally and 13th globally, scoring 92.8 overall. Like Tsinghua, it achieved a perfect 100 in industry, with teaching at 95.3 and research environment at 98.8.
Zhejiang University ranked third in China and joint 34th worldwide, scoring 80.9 overall. Fudan University followed in fourth place, sitting 38th globally with 80.2, while Shanghai Jiao Tong University rounded out the top five nationally at 39th in the world with an overall score of 80.
The University of Science and Technology of China came sixth nationally, placed joint 51st globally with 76.3, posting a particularly strong research quality score of 88.6. Nanjing University finished seventh in China and 59th in the world with 75.2 overall.
Harbin Institute of Technology entered the global top 100 at 96th place, recording a perfect industry score of 100 and an overall mark of 66.8 to claim eighth nationally.
Wuhan University ranked ninth among Chinese institutions at joint 121st globally with 65.2 overall, while Tongji University closed out the top ten with a world ranking of 124th and an overall score of 64.9, also achieving a perfect 100 in industry connections.
How the rankings are calculated
Times Higher Education evaluates universities using a methodology that spans five broad performance areas. Research environment and research quality together carry significant weight, alongside teaching, international outlook, and the strength of ties between universities and the private sector.
The full rankings cover 103 Chinese universities, offering a broad picture of the country's higher education landscape beyond the institutions that dominate the global top 100.
10 best universities in the world 2026 listed
Legit.ng earlier reported that the University of Oxford has claimed the top position in the latest global university rankings, edging out the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by just 0.1 points to lead the world's most prestigious institutions.
Oxford scored 97.9 in the rankings, while MIT followed closely at 97.8 to secure second place. Princeton University and Stanford University both earned a score of 97.0, placing them joint third in the list.
Source: Legit.ng