China has surpassed the U.S. for the first time in the number of universities listed in the latest World University Rankings 2025, released by the Center for World University Rankings. Chinese institutions now account for 17% of the list, up from 324 last year to 346 this year, while the number of U.S. universities dropped from 329 to 319. The latest rankings also revealed that 98% of Chinese universities improved their positions – a surge attributed to enhanced research performance and sustained government investment in higher education. Tsinghua University rose six places to rank 37th, excelling in employability and research. Peking University advanced three places to the 44th, while the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jumped four places to 46th – surpassing Shanghai Jiao Tong University in the 61st place and Zhejiang University in the 68th position.
Nadim Mahassen, President of the Center for World University Rankings, said that China is well represented among the world’s top universities, and further financial backing from the government will allow the country to be more competitive in the rapidly evolving global academic landscape. Although the U.S. still has eight of the world’s top 10 universities – led by Harvard, MIT and Stanford – 83% of its listed institutions declined in rank. The United Kingdom’s Cambridge and Oxford secured the fourth and fifth places, respectively. Mahassen said that while the U.S. still has the top universities in the world, the decline in ranking of the vast majority of its higher education institutions on the list is concerning. “At a time when Chinese universities are reaping the rewards of years of generous financial support from their government, American institutions are grappling with slashed federal funding and disputes over academic freedom and free speech,” he said.
Recent controversies, such as the Trump administration’s move to revoke enrollment of international students at Harvard, later blocked by a federal judge, highlight the challenges facing U.S. higher education. “For many years, American universities were able to attract a large number of international students, particularly from China. But with China’s extraordinary ascent in the rankings, coupled with the recent visa policies of the U.S., the situation may change soon,” Mahassen said. Liu Wei, Senior Vice President of New Channel International Education Group, said that China has been gaining ground in multiple international rankings – including QS, Times Higher Education and the Academic Ranking of World Universities – showing consistent improvement in academic output and global research influence. He emphasized that recent U.S. visa policies toward Chinese students, such as the announcement of revoking the visas of some of those studying in “critical fields”, are also influencing the global higher education landscape and may affect the future rankings of U.S. and Chinese institutions, the China Daily reports.
