Over the past five years, the number of territories represented in the top 10 of 11 subject rankings has grown from five to eight. This includes Australia, China, and Singapore, in addition to Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, the UK, and the US.he education subject ranking is the most diverse at the top, with five territories featuring in the top 10, including the US, UK, Hong Kong, China, and Canada. Six new countries have also joined the top 100 in this category.
While there is increased diversity in education and business and economics rankings, the top 10 in arts and humanities, social sciences, and life sciences are still exclusively dominated by US and UK institutions.
Elite Universities Retaining Top Spots:
- It is becoming more challenging to break into the top rankings, with just 13 different universities making the top five in the 11 subject rankings for 2024. Stanford University is the only institution to feature in the top five of all 11 subject rankings.
- It also notes that lower- and middle-income countries may lack the investment or policy backing for these subjects.
- Emergence of Indigenous Business-School Models: Regional “indigenous business-school models” are emerging worldwide, which are adapting to their cultural, political, and economic systems. These models are gaining acceptance from accreditation agencies and enhancing the reputation of business schools outside the US and the UK.
- Exception of China: Despite challenges, China stands out for its strong performance in various subjects, including education, and its ability to compete globally.
- STEM Fields in the US and UK: Students studying STEM fields in the US and UK have high employability worldwide, partially due to their strong legal protection for patents, diverse funding, and the ability to attract talent.
View the full World University Rankings 2024 results by subject
Lists of Universities Rankings Subject-Wise 2024
| Subject | Top 5 Universities |
|---|---|
| Business and Economics | MIT, University of Oxford, London School of Economics and Political Science, Harvard University, Stanford University |
| Clinical and Health | University of Oxford, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California, San Francisco, University of Cambridge |
| Computer Science | University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, ETH Zurich |
| Engineering | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, University of Cambridge, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, University of California, Berkeley |
| Law | Harvard University, University of Oxford, Yale University, Stanford University, Columbia University |
| Life Sciences | Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |