In 2026, the University of Oxford regained the top spot in the ranking compiled by the British publication Times Higher Education, marking this achievement as the tenth consecutive time. While seven of the top ten universities are American, there is a trend of declining positions among them. Sixty-two U.S. institutions fell lower in the list compared to the previous year, while only 19 managed to rise.
Phil Baty, chief expert on global issues at Times Higher Education, noted that significant changes are occurring in higher education and research, indicating the formation of a new order in global dominance. This organization is known for its authoritative university rankings.
Comparison of Positions of American and Chinese Universities in Rankings
In the early 2000s, seven American universities were in the top 10 of the global ranking led by Harvard. At that time, only one Chinese university, Zhejiang University, was among the top 25.
Today, however, Zhejiang Province occupies the top position in a new list compiled by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, and seven other Chinese institutions are in the top ten.
Despite Harvard conducting significantly more research than 20 years ago, it has still dropped to third place. The issue is not a decline in the number of graduates, but rather that the performance of Chinese universities has increased more significantly. According to data from Leiden University, the six leading American universities that were in the top 10 in the early 2000s are still actively conducting research.
The Leiden Centre also developed an alternative ranking based on the OpenAlex database, where Harvard ranks first; however, 12 of the next 13 universities in this list are Chinese.
According to the Institute of Informatics at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Harvard still leads the global ranking based on academic performance, but Stanford has become the only American university in the top ten, which also includes four Chinese universities. In another ranking, Nature Index, Harvard also found itself in first place, followed by ten Chinese universities.
China Increases Investment in Universities While the U.S. Cuts Research Grants
Harvard and other leading U.S. universities are facing new challenges due to cuts in research grants implemented by the Trump administration, as well as stricter visa policies that make it difficult for international students and scholars to study and work. The number of international students arriving in the U.S. in August 2025 decreased by 19 percent compared to 2024, as reported by The New York Times.
The reduction in research funding at U.S. universities occurs against the backdrop of Trump’s new policy, which may accelerate the decline of American higher education. Administration officials claim that the cuts are aimed at optimizing expenses and redirecting research efforts. At the same time, throughout 2025, university leaders warned of the potentially devastating consequences of such cuts to federal grants.
Amid these challenges, China is investing billions of dollars in its universities and is striving to attract foreign researchers by offering special visas for graduates of leading science and technology universities, allowing them to come to China for study or business.
Ten years ago, Peking University and Tsinghua University ranked 42nd and 47th in the Times Higher Education ranking, and now they are just a few positions away from the top 10: Tsinghua University is in 12th place, while Peking University is in 13th.
