Hong Kong universities have achieved their best-ever performance in the 2027 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, released on June 18. Five institutions are ranked among the world's top 100, and for the first time, two are in the top 20, cementing the city's status as a leading education hub.
According to QS, Hong Kong emerges as Asia's most improved higher education system for the second consecutive year, and the second most improved globally among systems with three or more ranked universities. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) maintained its position at 11th, while The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) rose 14 places to 18th. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology climbed 11 places to 33rd, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University advanced four places to 50th, entering the top 50 for the first time. City University of Hong Kong also improved 11 places to 52nd.
A spokesman for Hong Kong's Education Bureau (EDB) attributed the success to the HKSAR Government's full commitment to developing Hong Kong into an education hub and a series of supportive policy measures. The spokesman noted that the significant year-on-year rise in rankings validates Hong Kong's strong appeal as a premier hub for international high-end talent.
The rankings follow the latest Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, where multiple Hong Kong universities demonstrated exceptional competitiveness, with 20 subjects in the global top 10. Notably, CUHK, HKU, and The Education University of Hong Kong swept the top three spots for Education and Educational Research.
The EDB spokesman emphasized that the stellar performance of UGC-funded universities relies on tireless efforts to recruit world-class scholars and invest in infrastructure, as well as the Government's stable resource investment, supportive policy guidance, and rigorous quality assurance through University Accountability Agreements.
The strength of Hong Kong's higher education system aligns with strategic goals in the National 15th Five-Year Plan to build a leading nation in education, technology, and talent. To support growth, the Government has raised the admission ceiling for non-local students in taught programmes to 50 per cent and increased the over-enrolment ceiling for self-financing places in research postgraduate programmes to 120 per cent.
Additionally, the Government is promoting the Study in Hong Kong brand. The Task Force on Study in Hong Kong, in collaboration with major institutions, is stepping up promotion of Hong Kong's academic, research, and international collaboration resources on the Chinese Mainland and overseas, and aims to attract outstanding talent through initiatives such as expanding the Belt and Road Scholarship.
