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The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have once again put Singapore on the world map after being ranked the third and fifth-best Asian universities, respectively, by Times Higher Education (THE).

The latest ranking, which featured 669 institutions from 31 countries and regions, was announced by the London-based magazine on Jun. 22.

What did they do well in?

In the explanatory notes for each university on the chart, THE underscored that NUS achieved "particularly high scores" for research and international outlook, as well as outstanding performance in engineering, technology, law, and computer science.

The magazine also pointed to the university's entrepreneurial focus and curriculum design, which combined Oxbridge-style teaching through small-group tutorials with U.S.-style course credits, offering more flexibility and cross-disciplinary education for students.

As for NTU, besides highlighting that the university ranks highly for engineering, technology, and computer science courses, THE also drew attention to its Yunnan Garden Campus, which it said was considered "one of the most beautiful campuses in the world".

China dominates top 10 chart

According to THE, the top 10 universities in Asia this year are as follows:

Both NUS and NTU have successfully maintained their rankings from 2022, with the former only falling behind Tsinghua University and Peking University, China's most elite institutions who continue to dominate the chart.

China's Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University also managed to move up the table, allowing mainland China to become the most represented region in the list.

Likewise, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology also ranked higher than in 2022, with the former climbing one place and the latter moving up two.

The only top 10 university that slipped from its last year's ranking was The University of Tokyo, which dropped from sixth to eighth.

Despite having only one university featured in the chart, Japan remained the most-represented country in the 2023 ranking overall, with 117 institutions charting.

Statements from NUS & NTU

In response to Mothership's queries, an NUS spokesperson said the university is pleased that it "consistently stands among the very best universities in Asia and the world".

"This achievement is a nod to our distinctive education, impactful research, and outstanding work by an exceptionally gifted team of faculty, staff, and students," the spokesperson added.

Moving forward, the university will focus on intensifying innovations in university education and lifelong learning to help its students and alumni thrive in the future economy, substantially raising the translational impact of its research, and developing one of the most vibrant and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world, the statement said.

A spokesperson from NTU also shared that the university continues to pursue excellence in education, research, and innovation while competing with the world's top universities.

In particular, the statement highlighted two initiatives the university launched recently: the Interdisciplinary Collaborative Core Curriculum approach, which prepares students for the world of work, and the Sustainability Manifesto, which details NTU's ambitious and long-term agenda for global impact.

At the end of the statement, the spokesperson also added that the university is committed to its long-term investment and strategic choices that support its mission to nurture leaders and create societal impact through interdisciplinary education and research.

Top images via NUS & Kiến Trúc Blog - Architecture & Design Ideas/Facebook