QS World University Rankings: Methodology

The QS World University Rankings continue to enjoy a remarkably consistent methodological framework, compiled using six simple metrics that we believe effectively capture university performance. Since faculty area normalisation was introduced in 2015 to ensure that institutions specialising in Life Sciences and Natural Sciences were not unduly advantaged, we have avoided fundamental changes. In doing so, we aim to ensure that year-on-year comparisons remain valid, and that unnecessary volatility is minimised.

Thus, universities continue to be evaluated according to the following six metrics:

        • Academic Reputation

        • Employer Reputation

        • Faculty/Student Ratio

        • Citations per faculty

        • International Faculty Ratio

        • International Student Ratio

QS Asia University Rankings: Methodology

Published annually since 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings highlights the top universities in Asia each year. The methodology used to create the ranking is similar to that used for the QS World University Rankings®, but with some additional indicators and adapted weightings. This set of criteria, developed in consultation with regional experts and stakeholders, is designed to reflect key priorities for universities in Asia, drawing on as much available data as possible. Find out more from the QS Intelligence Unit.

The 11 indicators used to compile the QS Asia University Rankings are as follows:

Academic reputation (30%)

Employer reputation (20%)

Faculty/student ratio (10%)

International research network (10%)

Citations per paper (10%) and papers per faculty (5%)

Staff with a PhD (5%)

Proportion of international faculty (2.5%) and proportion of international students (2.5%)

Proportion of inbound exchange students (2.5%) and proportion of outbound exchange students (2.5%)