UKM climbs to Asia's top 20 as UM slips in latest rankings

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) achieved a major breakthrough in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027, securing a position within the continent's top 20 universities. The ranking improvement reflects enhanced research output and institutional performance across key academic metrics.

Universiti Malaya, traditionally among Malaysia's leading institutions, experienced a decline in its regional standing, slipping to 17th position. The slip marks a reversal from its previous ranking trajectory in the annual Asia-focused assessment.

Across Malaysia's higher education sector, performance proved mixed in the latest evaluation cycle. While 17 Malaysian universities advanced their positions, 25 institutions dropped in the rankings, indicating a complex landscape of gains and losses throughout the country's university system.

The QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 assesses leading tertiary institutions across the region using metrics including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, international diversity, and research citations. The annual rankings serve as a key indicator of institutional competitiveness within Asia's rapidly evolving higher education market.