SEVEN of world’s top 10 universities are Chinese
Chinese universities are rapidly climbing global rankings, overtaking American institutions in research output and academic publishing, according to a report by the Indian news channel WION. A recent article in the New York Times newspaper quoted a former president of the U.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as saying that : “the number of papers and the quality of the papers coming from China are outstanding” and are “dwarfing what we’re doing in the U.S.”
China’s Zhejiang University now leads the global ranking universities issued by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands.
This is research growth has seen China move to the lead the world in nearly 90% of the critical technologies (including renewable energy), and has significantly boosted its key national priorities.
The once dominant Harvard University remains a global high-ranker, but has slipped from the top spot as China pours billions into higher education and attracts global talent.
Cuts to U.S. research funding, visa restrictions, and falling international student numbers are raising concerns that America’s long-standing academic dominance may be under threat, signalling a broader shift in global power.
Sources:
New York Times, Jan 15, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/…/harvard-global-ranking…
Al Quads, 16 Jan 2026. https://www.alquds.com/en/posts/224875
WION, Jan 17, 2026. https://youtu.be/unb36zxOoo0
China Environment News 