The Times Higher Education (THE)'s World University Rankings 2024 by subject show a noticeable shift in the top spots, reflecting more diversity among the leading nations excelling in various academic fields. While the US and UK institutions still hold in the rankings, other countries are making strides, especially in subjects such as business and economics, education, social sciences, and more. In business and economics, the top 10 rankings have seen a significant change over the past five years. Earlier, only US and UK universities occupied these positions. However, in this year's rankings, two Chinese institutions, Tsinghua University and Peking University, have secured places in the top 10, indicating China's growing presence in this academic area.
Similarly, the field of education has witnessed a shift in diversity. Five years ago, nine of the top 10 spots were claimed by US and UK institutions, with Hong Kong holding the remaining position. This, universities from five different countries, including China, Canada, Hong Kong, the US, and the UK, are in the top 10.
The social sciences ranking has also seen a similar transformation. In the past, 64 per cent of the top 50 universities in social sciences consisted of US and UK institutions, but now, that percentage has dropped to 60 per cent. This year's rankings include universities from 14 different countries, reflecting the increasing global participation in the field.
While the US and UK continue to dominate the top positions across all 11 subject rankings, there are a few exceptions. Harvard University and Stanford University are the leaders in the number of subjects they top, with three each. Harvard tops engineering, law, and life sciences, while Stanford leads in arts and humanities, psychology, and is joint top in social sciences. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology takes the top spot in business and economics and is also joint top in social sciences.
Additional noteworthy trends include the dominance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields in the Middle East and North Africa. Sub-Saharan African countries show their achievements in clinical and health-related subjects, while North African and Arabic nations place a strong emphasis on computer science, engineering, and physical sciences. In Northern Europe, science takes precedence, whereas Southern and Eastern European regions prioritise humanities. South America, on the other hand, tends to lean more towards non-scientific disciplines.
Although India is the country with the highest number of new students entering the fields of engineering and computer science, most of these universities are in lower bands, suggesting that there is still a need for improvement.
In this year's rankings, Germany and the Netherlands stand out as the best-performing countries in continental Europe, particularly in the top 50 universities across various subjects. Compared to the World University Rankings in 2020, there is a visible reduction in the presence of the US-UK block in the top 50 rankings for social sciences, education, business, and economics.
These rankings are compiled with a rigorous methodology, including 18 performance indicators across five pillars: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook, and industry. The continued diversification in the subject rankings is indicative of the evolving landscape of higher education globally, with East Asian nations, particularly China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, strengthening their positions alongside established institutions in the US and the UK.