For international students, the international living and academic atmosphere serves as one of the significant incentives for studying abroad.

The global and diverse perspectives, together with the most cutting-edge international professional knowledge, not only enrich themselves but also gain recognition from employers worldwide.

Recently, Times Higher Education (THE) released the 2025 Global International Universities Rankings.

Source: Times Higher Education

Which universities in the world best represent international education? Let“s take a look together!

Ranking Methodology

The data in THE“s 2025 Global International Universities Rankings mainly come from the “International Outlook“ performance indicators of the 2025 THE World University Rankings. The scoring criteria include:

- Proportion of international academic staff

- Proportion of international students

- Proportion of international co-authorship

- International reputation

A university is eligible to be included in this list only if it receives at least 400 votes in THE“s annual academic reputation survey. The university must also receive at least 200 or at least 10% of the local valid votes to be eligible for the list.

In addition, if a previously ranked university fails to meet the voting threshold for two consecutive years, it will be excluded from that ranking.

Focus on the Top 10 of the Rankings

Source: Times Higher Education

Institutions from Hong Kong, China, have ranked as the most international universities in the world for the sixth consecutive year, with 4 Hong Kong universities making it into the Top 10.

In this year“s ranking, City University of Hong Kong tops the list consecutively for the second year. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the University of Hong Kong follow closely, ranking 2nd - 4th. Both the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have made the greatest progress, having risen 7 places compared to last year.

Abu Dhabi University in the United Arab Emirates ranks 5th. It ranked 2nd last year, dropping 3 places.

The University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London rank 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively.

Two Swiss universities, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, rank 9th and 10th respectively.

Highlights of this Ranking

This year, the performance of institutions from Hong Kong, China, has improved significantly. The main reason is that the international co-authorship scores of all 5 shortlisted universities have increased across the board - this indicator is based on the share of co-authored journal articles with international authors.

Data shows that from 2019 to 2023, the number of journal articles co-written by authors from Hong Kong, China, and the Chinese mainland increased by approximately 70%.

Twenty universities from the Chinese mainland are on the list, with Tongji University, Peking University, and Nanjing University taking the lead.

Source: Times Higher Education

Scientific research powerhouses such as the United States, China, Germany, and France dominate the rankings of 217 institutions.

The performance of universities in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Australia has also generally improved, with the number of universities whose rankings have risen in these countries/regions being greater than that of those whose rankings have declined.

However, there are both joys and concerns. The University of Oxford has dropped from 3th in the 2024 ranking to 6th, while the Australian National University has fallen from joint 15th to 22nd.

Full List

Source: Times Higher Education

City University of Hong Kong

What is the reason for topping the list again?

City University of Hong Kong is a public research university located in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 1994, it has grown rapidly in cultivating outstanding graduates and developing professional research that directly benefits society.

In 2023, CityU participated in THE“s International Universities Rankings for the first time and achieved the 4th place in the world. This year, it has topped the list again, representing the internationalization level of higher education in Hong Kong, China.

The uniqueness of City University of Hong Kong lies in its high emphasis on discovery and innovation, which is also reflected in the education of its 10 colleges and 29 academic departments.

On the one hand, the university focuses on cultivating an innovative spirit. On the other hand, it also trains students in the key skills required in the global job market - the university aims to enable 65% of its students to participate in overseas exchanges to understand the societies and cultures of the world.

Source: City University of Hong Kong

More than 70% of the university“s teaching staff are non-local, coming from 35 countries and regions. Through extensive academic connections at the college and university levels, the university has established cooperation with over 400 higher education institutions in 44 countries and regions around the world.

Each year, more than 1,200 CityU students go overseas to participate in exchange and educational programs. The university also provides opportunities for communication and interaction among students from over 80 countries and regions across the school through student services and student associations.

In addition to City University of Hong Kong, many Hong Kong universities have also performed outstandingly in this ranking. With their unique geographical location advantages and high-quality educational resources, they are increasingly favored by students.

In recent years, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has also been making every effort to build an international education hub to cultivate and attract outstanding talents.

In its recently released “2024 Policy Address“, the number of institutions eligible for the High-End Talent Pass Scheme has been increased to 198 and the visa period has been extended, along with many other favorable policies opening up broader opportunities for students.