TOP UNIVERSITIES

Asia’s Five Finest Universities

• Asia has been rapidly developing in higher education and research. It actually has the
most diverse education systems, being the largest continent in the world. Neighboring
Asian countries are great choice of destinations for Asian scholars who wanted to
conduct research studies and make discoveries.
• Leading the other universities in Asia is the University of Hong Kong, top ranked
university. It is said to be the Hong Kong’s oldest higher education institution. Although
Chinese is also a native tongue in Hong Kong, English is their official language
instruction. Located in Bonham Road and Pok Fu Lam Road, their campus has building
structures that feature the architecture during the British Colonization. The university is
established in 1911 by Governor Sir Frederick Lugard. Functioning for decades already, it
has produced skillful individuals including the founding president of the Republic of
China, Dr. Sun Yat Sen.
• The second outstanding Asian university can also be found in Hong Kong. It is the Hong
Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). It was recently established in 1991
and situated at Sai Kung District. The main location of the campus was the former
Kohima Camp, a British Garrison. The university provides a stunning view of the South
China Sea that can be seen from the balconies of the school buildings. Despite being a
young university, it has become one of the best institutions in Hong Kong and in Asia.
The HKUST has exchange programs for students of Engineering and Business and
Management courses.
• Then, the tertiary education institution in 3rd place is the National University of
Singapore. Established in 1905, it is the oldest university in Singapore. In terms of the
number of the variety of curriculums being offered and the student admissions, it is also
the largest university in the country. It is situated in Kent Ridge, Singapore but campuses
can also be found in Bukit Tinah and Outram. Prominent leader Lee Kuan Yew, Prime
 Minister of Singapore, and Ho Ching, Temasek Holdings’ CEO are among the famous
alumni from this university.
• Subsequently, the 4th placer university comes again from Hong Kong, the Chinese
University of Hongkong (CUHK). It is distinct among other tertiary education institution
because it is only their university in the area that has faculty members who are Nobel
Prize awardees. They were Charles Kao, Robert Alexander Mundell, James Mirrlees and
Chen Ning Yang. It is significant as well to know that the institution has three official
language instructions namely, English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Moreover, the campus
features the artworks of Chinese culture. The university experienced controversy
regarding the Goddess of Democracy. The request of CUHK student union of placing the
statue ‘Goddess of Democracy’ is initially turned down but was approved later own after
numerous protests.
• Lastly, the University of Tokyo is the 5th in ranking among Asian institutions. It is
believed to be Japan’s most prestigious university having been included in the list. It has
five campuses found in Komaba, Shirokane, Nakano, Hongo, and Kashiwa. Akamon (the
Red Gate), a relic of the Edo period of Japan, is the most popular landmark and located
in the Hongo Campus. The said campus also features beautiful landscapes of hills, ponds
and pavilions.
• Rising excellence among Asian universities makes it appealing not only to Asian scholars
but also to students and professors of other continents. Guaranteed to engage in
prospective superb education and top-notch researches, in years, Asian universities can
outmaneuver the other continents’ leading institutions.

Australia’s Five Premier Universities

• The beautiful land down under, Australia, is one of the top study destinations in the
world. Furthermore, they have outstanding research-focused universities that are
ranked in top of worldwide. Their universities also provide prestigious scholarships for
deserving students internationally.
• Top ranked university in Australia is the Australian National University. Situated in
Canberra, Australia, this university is a teaching and research institution established in
1946. This foremost university dominates in scholastic areas of arts and humanities.
Australian national University is also a member of the Group of Eight, which is a group of
research intensive tertiary institutions in Australia. Its campus is filled with over 10,000
trees, and because of its support to the nature, it was awarded with the Silver
Greenhouse Challenge Award. Among the staff of ANU, five of them are Nobel
laureates. Prime Ministers Kim Edward Beazley, Patricia Hewitt, and Kevin Rudd are
prominent alumni of Australian National University.
• Subsequently, the University of Sydney in New South Wales is the 2nd best university in
Australia. The school’s campus is located in Camperdown and Darlington. As the
continent’s oldest established university since 1850, it has already produced several
diverse professionals. It is also included in the group of Sandstone Universities, which is
a group of Australia’s oldest universities mostly founded during the colonial era. Just like
the ANU, the University of Sydney is also a member of the Group of Eight. By far, it also
owns the largest academic library in the southern hemisphere.
• Next, the 3rd most outstanding university is the University of Melbourne. This
institution is notable for the field in life sciences and medicine. Erected in Parkville,
Melbourne, Victoria in 1853, University of Melbourne has also other campuses built
within the territory of Victoria. This public funded university has $1.1 billion worth of
financial grant as of 2009. Currently, it is the largest among the Australian universities.
The buildings inside the campuses of the University of Melbourne features stunning
period architecture. It houses also Australia’s oldest professional theatre company, the
Melbourne Theatre Company.
• Then, the University of Queensland is the 4th prime university. It is situated in Brisbane
and the oldest university in Queensland since its establishment in 1909. The university
shelters the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization as well as
the Institute of Molecular Bioscience. These research centers collaborate with the
institution that produced biomedical research clusters. Distinguished alumni in
 University of Queensland include Governors- General of Australia and an Oscar winner.
A research here in this university by Professor Ian Frazer resulted also to the discovery
of Gardasil, a cervical cancer vaccine.
• Lastly, Australia’s 5th top university is the University of New South Wales. Located in
Kensington Sydney, this university is focused in research and has commanding lead in
social sciences and management fields. It also has other campuses built in Paddington
and in Canberra. Well-known individuals from the political field who graduated from
this university are Robert McClelland and Kerry Nettle.
• As shown by the top 5 universities in Australia, their striking performance in academics
and research led students worldwide to aspire to study in Australian universities. Also,
higher education in Australia has lower fees than UK and USA. With this, students are
getting cost-effective quality and excellent education all in one.

The Five Leading Universities in England

• Higher education institutions in England are highly-rated worldwide. Smart students

from around the world yearn to study here by applying for the scholarships provided by
the universities. Receiving a scholarship grant from England universities gives prestige to
the scholars and their country as well.
• The first place among the leading universities in England is the University of Cambridge,
top ranked university. It is a member of the reputable International Alliance of Research
Universities. This university, which is the second oldest in England can be found in
Cambridge, United Kingdom. It has 52 Nobel Prize awardees affiliated as academic staff.
Cambridge also led the ranking of excellence for natural sciences. It is included in the
group of research universities dubbed as ‘Golden Triangle’. It is also a member of
Coimbra Group devoted to learning and research excellence in Europe. Famous alumni
are Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Francis Bacon, and James Clerk Maxwell.
• Following University of Cambridge is the University College London (UCL). Bloomsbury is
where the main campus of UCL is situated. It has eight constituent faculties, and several
 institutes and teaching hospitals built across Central London. University of College
London has alumni and staff of 21 Nobel Prize awardees. UCL partners, which is the
biggest center academic health science was founded by UCL. The University is also a
biomedical research center. “Rags”, which has been traditionally called, is the friendly
rivalry of UCL with the King’s College London. The inventor of the telephone, Alexander
Graham Bell, exceptional author, Robert Browning and the Indian leader Mohandas
Gandhi are the famous alumni of this university.
• Then, the University of Oxford is the institution currently in 3rd ranking it. It is still
unclear on when is the exact date of foundation of the Oxford University, but there
were already evidences in teaching since 11th century. It is the second oldest university
and also the oldest English-speaking University both in the world. Established in Oxford,
United Kingdom, the university’s name can be abbreviated as Oxon but Oxf is now used
in their official publications. It is also a member of the ‘Golden Triangle’. Secondly to The
British Library, Bodleian, their central research library is the largest library with 120
miles of shelves housing more than 11 million volumes of books.
• Next in line is the Imperial College London. Ranking in 4th place, the university is
situated in the South Kensington, Central London. Paddington, Hammersmith, and
Chelsea are also homes to the other campuses of Imperial. It is also the university with
the largest estate of any tertiary education in United Kingdom because of its operational
property of 525,233 square meters. Same with Oxford, Imperial College London is also
part of the ‘Golden Triangle’. Furthermore, they have one of the biggest faculties of
medicine in UK, which is the Imperial Faculty of Medicine.
• Lastly, King’s College London is the 5th leading tertiary education institution in England.
In 1829, it was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. It is by far
England’s third oldest university and it is located in London as well. As a public research
university, it is a center of biomedical research and houses six centers of Medical
Research Council, a medical research agency publicly-funded. King’s as they casually call
it, has 10 Nobel Prize awardees in their alumni and faculty.
 • The excellence of higher education in England maybe attributed to their experiences
because it has the oldest long-standing universities in the world. Their vast array of
research centers will also help in facilitating the continuation of the distinct and quality
schooling provided in England and to the world.

World’s Top Five Universities

• A trusted authority in ranking universities from around the world is the QS World
University Rankings. Three categories that are divided in different areas are the basis of
their ranking. The first category includes the subjects offered by the institution, the
second category is the academic criteria: academic peer review, employer review,
citations per faculty, student faculty, international faculty and international students
and the third category is the methodology, which is also composed of seven sections.
Presented as follows are the top five universities in the world.
• From the concluded, 2010-2011 QS World University Rankings, University of Cambridge
in England, top ranked university is the list-topper. They have established excellent
reputation in regards to their academics and research. Furthermore, their natural
sciences area is the best in the world and the rest of their subject areas are in the top
five standing. Famous scientists, Sir Francis Bacon, James Clerk Maxwell, and Sir Isaac
Newton are graduates of this university. The university also received £4.1 billion worth
of financial grants in 2006. In addition, it shelters the largest academic press and world’s
oldest printer and publisher, the Cambridge University Press.
• Second in line among the world’s top universities is United States’ Harvard University.
• It was demoted coming from first place for almost 6 years ever since the compilation of
the QS rankings in 2004. Notwithstanding relegation, the university even ranked first in
two subject areas, specifically social sciences and life sciences. Having been established
in 1636, it has shaped thousand of graduates from various fields. Alumni of this
university include the present leader of the United States, Barack H. Obama. It is also
the alma mater of the other 7 US presidents.
• Subsequently, the third in standing is the Yale University. Also, from the United States,
Yale is 5th finest in the area of arts and humanities. The institution was established in
Haven, Connecticut in 1701. In addition, being a member of the athletic conference Ivy
League, the university is very active in sports. Several picturesque structures great for
photography can also be found inside the campus of Yale University. Well-known people
like former President Bill Clinton, Academy Award winner Jodie Foster, and the great
lexicographer Noah Webster are alumni of this university.
• After Yale is the University College London (UCL). Located in Bloomsbury, Greater
London, it is recognized as London’s best research university in the 2008 Research
Assessment Exercise. Hence, they provide research-led teaching programs to students.
Other campuses of UCL are situated across Central London. The university has 30% of
students coming from outside the United Kingdom. Numerous graduates of UCL are
prominent in their fields of expertise, like Francis Crick, Joseph Lister, G. K. Chesterton,
and Raymond Briggs among others.
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the last in this list and the third
university in the United States that entered into the top five standing. MIT first opened
in 1865. Although fifth in ranking, this university is leading in the field of engineering
and information technology. Foremost in the US, is the university’s School of
Architecture and Planning. It has skillfully constructed and designed modern and
progressive buildings around the country.
• Every student eager to gain knowledge would desire to be enrolled in an excellent
university. The top five universities in the world are choices for a good start. If admission
in the said universities is not possible, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from.
After all, institutions from other continents are swiftly growing for the better and for the
best.
The Five Best Universities in the United States

• The most dominant country in the world in terms of economy is also dominating the
field of academic and research. United States has several universities showing excellent
performance and they continue to improve and excel year by year. This has made
universities in the US attractive to international students, researchers and professors.
• Topping the list of universities in United States is the Harvard University. Founded in
1636, the university is the oldest in the United States, top ranked university. As of
September 2010, Harvard received an amount of $27.4 billion worth of financial grant.
Globally, it is the largest of all the universities. Harvard has produced 8 US presidents
including the current US President Barrack H. Obama. There are also 75 Nobel laureates
associated with the university. In addition, 62 of the billionaires living in US graduated in
Harvard. It is also a home to various arts, cultural and scientific museums. Harvard
houses the largest academic library in United States.
• Next in line is the Yale University. The second in ranking among United States’ top
universities, Yale University was named after a governor of the British East India
Company named Elihu Yale. The university is established in 1701 in New Haven,
Connecticut. Yale has been recognized for their excellence in the fields of social sciences
and management, life sciences, and arts and humanities. It is also a member of Ivy
League, an athletic conference for universities, wherein Yale also dominates in.
Moreover, nineteen US Supreme Court justices and five US presidents graduated from
Yale. Also, around 49 staff, faculty and students who are Nobel Laureates are associated
with the university.
• Following Yale University is Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Similar with
Harvard University, MIT is situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT focuses and
emphasizes scientific and technological research. Their undergraduates are assured of
housing in the school’s dormitories for the years that they are studying in the said
university. Famous alumni of Massachusetts Institute of Technology are Apollo
astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi, author Charles
 Murray, and a lot more. Likewise, they have 50 recipients of National Medal of Science,
35 Macarthur Fellows and 76 Nobel Prize Laureates.
• Subsequently, the University of Chicago, located in Illinois is 4th in place. It was
established in 1890 by the American Baptist Educated Society with the help of the
world-renowned philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. It is also a home to 85 Nobel Prize
laureates, higher than the Harvard University. Carnegie Foundation has categorized the
University of Chicago as an institution with “very high research activity”. This university
also annually organizes what they called Scavenger Hunt wherein student teams battle
to get infamously mysterious items from a list.
• Finally, the university in 5th ranking is the California Institute of Technology. Caltech as
they call it can be found in Pasadena, California. A private research university, Caltech
focuses more on science and engineering. In 1891, Amos G. Throop started this institute
as a preparatory and vocational school. Quite a lot of prominent people are alumni of
Caltech like astronaut and Senator Harrison Schmitt, co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore,
and creator of Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha, Stephen Wolfram.
• In United States, together with these top universities are costly tuition fees.
Students in United States loan or work to fund their studies. Most of the universities
also offer various scholarships that students can choose from. If they will look closely,
the difficulty of shelling out large amount of money will definitely provide an
exceptional education and admirable skills in the future with the help of these eminent
institutions.