THE top spots in most annual global university rankings, whether in a particular academic subject or overall, are usually dominated by highly established institutions that are already household names: Oxbridge and the Ivy League alongside the Sorbonne, LSE, the University of Tokyo or ETH Zurich.
Prospective students, many of whom find such rankings are seminal when making a choice about where they will study, may be discouraged by the prevalence of the marquee names.
Seeing this as a problem, over the last few years QS has begun compiling a yearly ranking of the Top 10 Universities Under 50, which celebrates the achievements of newer institutions less than 50 years old that are often trailblazers, but that may not receive the recognition they deserve when compared to universities with centuries’ worth of history behind them.
Below, we look at the top 5 candidates on the QS list and see exactly what makes them shine.
The first entry on this list has actually achieved the feat of being featured not only in this ranking, but has consistently been occupying slots on all the major University Ranking listings. It currently features at no. 13 in the World QS Rankings.
NTU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in all areas, including Humanities, Business Studies, Sciences, Medicine and Media Studies. However, the institution takes particular pride in being a breeding ground for innovation in the areas of science and engineering. To provide a recent example, NTU has partnered with the Schaeffler Group, who has made a generous donation to help the University’s researchers to develop a new generation of safer mobility devices.
Aside from the award-wining academic standard NTU provides, it also ensures that all students are comfortable during their stay. Their campus is in the top 15 most beautiful campuses worldwide and is in itself a city, with all the amenities imaginable.
2017 is an important year for HKUST, as it marks the University’s 25th anniversary. This institution is one of the few in the world that has curated its curriculum and its campus around environmental sustainability. This means that students and staff are constantly contributing to the development of environmentally-friendly solutions to problems.
Furthermore, although academically it is mainly a research-focused university, it stimulates learning by adding a holistic angle to academia. Music and arts are a pivotal component of students’ degrees. The University’s Philharmonic Orchestra is an award winning establishment, for example.
One of Asia’s top universities despite its short tenure, KAIST is the home of rapid business and technology advancements. The University itself was created for the purpose of fostering elite human resources in the areas of science and technology, as part of South Korea’s long-term economic development plan.
Students are encouraged to bring their ideas to the table and the faculty assists them in achieving their dreams. In fact, KAIST alumni have set up the TBI (Technology Business Incubatory) where they impart knowledge with current students who have brilliant business ideas so that their work can take off.
So, no matter what part of the world you are from, if you have a seedling of a good idea and can thrive in this kind of environment, then KAIST can be a fantastic platform worth trying.
If you are a student keen on the idea of escaping your comfort zone and have dabbled with the idea of traveling to Asia for your studies, but are intimidated by the idea of entering Asian culture head-first, then City University in Hong Kong may be the place for you. It is a fantastically multicultural and diverse environment, which promotes both academic and extra-curricular excellence. (For example CityU’s swim team is dominating competitive charts, while those with a keen eye for photography are keenly involved in the University’s Floral Photo Competition.)
Located in the northern part of South Korea, POSTECH was founded by POSCO, a leading steel company, to provide specialised education for budding engineers. Today, it is one of the leading research universities for mathematics, medicine, engineering and life sciences.
Most notably, its team of students and researchers have developed a more sustainable version of a medical X-Ray machine that is said to revolutionise surgery and medical research.
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So, as you can see, the top 5 have quite impressive achievements that attract brilliant students every year. But, if these are not your particular cup of tea, here’s a selection of feats from the next five on the list:
... has its own on-site 3D printing facility to help teaching and research.
... has the leading European hub for STEM cell research.
... has won this year’s prestigious Research Against Poverty Prize for research into providing clean water.
...UAB’s Rector, Margarita Arboix, has just signed the EGERA Charter for GenderSensitige Governance, which promotes an strengthening of gender equality in University leadership.
... its Department of Literature just hosted an international workshop in honour of Mozambique’s most prolific writer, Mia Couto.
