IISc edges closer to top 200 in Times World University Rankings

Moves up from 251-300 to 201-250 band; 31 institutes represent India

Efforts to improve the research quality and global benchmarking seem to be paying off for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, whose position moved up from the 251-300 to 201-250 band in the 13th edition of Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) this year. With this, the premier institute is inching closer to the top 200 global institutes in the rankings.

IISc and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) were the two institutions from India that have made it to the top 400 in THE WUR. While IIT-B maintained its spot in the 351-400 cohort, IIT Kanpur moved from 501-600 band to 401-500 band. The rankings also saw 14 new institutes debuting from India. In all, 31 institutions from India represented the country in the 980-long list.

Now, in its 13th year, THE WUR applies rigorous standards, using tough global benchmarks across all key areas of an institute such as teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook. However, the 980 names in the rankings represent just five per cent of the world’s higher education institutions.

According to Phil Baty, editor of THE WUR, this year, calculations of the rankings have been subject to an independent audit by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“India takes 31 places in this year’s  expanded list of the world’s top universities. Its leading university, IISc, is also edging closer to the top 200, claiming a spot in the 201-250 band — its highest ever position. IIT-B once again features in the 351-400 band. The nation has four new entries in the top 800. India’s strong performance is partly thanks to the country recognising the importance of participating in global benchmarking exercises; just last month, the government launched a new funding-backed project aimed at catapulting Indian Institutes of Technology to the top of world university rankings,” said Baty.

Baty also highlighted of the Indian government's efforts towards creating world-class universities. “THE WUR features an increasing number of leading east-Asian universities that are beginning to rub shoulders with the global elite. It is encouraging that the Indian government has the same ambition to create world-class universities and that its leading institutions are already edging towards the world top 200.”

South Asia has almost doubled its representation in this year’s newly expanded list of the world’s top universities, claiming 39 places, up from 20 last year. Sri Lanka makes its debut in the table with the University of the Colombo in the 801+ band, while Pakistan has five new entries, taking its total to seven.

Overall, the rankings saw Oxford University replacing California Institute of Technology at the top spot, followed by Stanford University at the third place.

According to Baty, India is set to have the largest student population by 2025, which also helps the country's global position in the rankings at a time when other Asian countries are suffering from ageing population. “While most Asian countries are suffering from an ageing population, the number of young people in South Asia is booming. India is set to have the largest student population by 2025, with the number of 18-22 year-olds predicted to reach 119 million. Pakistan also has one of the largest and fastest-growing youth populations in the world, with 59 million 10-24 year-olds. It is now more crucial than ever that South Asia makes higher education a priority.”