Top Universities in Asia for Engineering and Technology 2014

Testimony to the strong international reputation enjoyed by many Japanese universities, Kyoto University is rated consistently well by academics in every discipline. Strong competition, particularly from institutions in Singapore and South Korea, has pushed it outside of the overall Asian top 10 this year, but reputation doesn’t change so fast. For those interested in engineering and technology, the city may hold particular appeal due to its cluster of high-tech ventures and as the home of the Kyoto Research Park innovation hub.

Continuing Japan’s prestige in the field is the more specialized Tokyo Institute of Technology, or “Tokyo Tech”, a national research university with a focus on science and technology subjects. Engineering and technology is the field for which Tokyo Tech is best-reputed, but it’s also rated among the 10 universities in Asia for natural sciences, top 50 for  life sciences and medicine, and top 100 for arts and humanities, and for social sciences and management – reflecting more comprehensive strengths than its name might imply.

Having climbed to second place in the overall QS University Rankings: Asia this year, KAIST is now the South Korean pack leader. Founded only in 1971, this science and technology powerhouse is one of a wave of young universities in Asia that have rapidly gained international status. It’s currently third in the QS Top 50 Under 50, which celebrates the world’s top universities established in the last half century. 

The second Singaporean institution which has risen to global prominence in recent years, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) climbed three places in the overall Asia ranking this year, consolidating its top-10 position. Its reputation within the academic community is strongest for engineering and technology subjects, but it’s rated within Asia’s top 20 across all subject areas – and enjoys an even stronger reputation among graduate employers, who place it fifth in the region.

It’s perhaps surprising that the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is Hong Kong’s sole representative among the 10 top universities in Asia for engineering and technology – though it is joined by two more Hong Kong institutions in the top 20 (see below). Having topped the Asia ranking last year, HKUST has now fallen to fifth in the overall table. But this young institution – leader of the QS Top 50 Under 50 – remains one of the region’s most impressive, and one of the most popular choices for international students and academics.

Currently fourth in the overall Asia ranking, Seoul National University (SNU) is one of the established forerunners in the South Korean higher education system, which continues to improve its overall performance and rankings each year. A truly comprehensive institution, SNU holds impressive ratings from academics in every subject area, and is equally highly viewed by employers.

Another of China’s most prestigious universities, Shanghai Jiao Tong University doesn’t appear until 28^th in the overall Asia ranking – but, like compatriot Tsinghua, would be much higher if the list were solely based on the view of academics and employers. It gets its strongest rating for engineering and technology, but is also rated among the top 20 in Asia for life sciences and medicine, natural sciences, and social sciences and management.

About the QS University Rankings: Asia

Published annually since 2009, the QS University Rankings: Asia ranks the top 300 universities in Asia. The ranking is based on nine indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, research papers per faculty member, citations per paper, international diversity of faculty, international diversity of students, inbound student exchange and outbound student exchange. The top universities in Asia for engineering and technology, listed above, are based on analysis of the academic reputation survey. 

Image credits: Fran C. Muller / Shutterstock.com (University of Tokyo), e X p o s e / Shutterstock.com (NTU)

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