The Top 10 Lists

10. Peking University

Peking University (traditional Chinese: 北京大學; simplified Chinese: 北京大学; pinyin: Běijīng Dàxué), colloquially known in Chinese as Beida (北大, Běidà), is a major research university located in Beijing, China. It is the first formally established modern research university, and the first national university of China. It was founded as Imperial Capital University in 1898 as a replacement of the ancient Guozijian (國子監 guózǐjiàn). By 1920 it had become a center for progressive thought. Today, most national and international rankings frequently place Peking University as one of the best universities in China. In addition to its academics, Peking University is especially renowned for the beauty of its traditional Chinese architecture at its campus grounds.

 

Throughout its history, the university has distinguished itself from its peers in terms of intellectual freedom and has produced and hosted many of modern China's top thinkers, including Lu Xun, Mao Zedong, Hu Shih, Li Dazhao, Gu Hongming, and Chen Duxiu. The Peking University was among the birth places for China's New Culture Movement, May Fourth Movement, the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989 and many other significant events.

 

9. National University of Singapore

The National University of Singapore (Abbreviation: NUS; simplified Chinese: 新加坡国立大学; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Guólì Dàxué; Abbreviated 国大; Malay: Universiti Kebangsaan Singapura; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் தேசியப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்) is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered.

 

The university's main campus is located in southwest Singapore at Kent Ridge, with an area of approximately 1.5 km² (0.6 square miles). The Bukit Timah campus houses its law faculty, while the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore is located at Outram campus.

 

The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has recently named NUS as the headquarters of his Asian Faith and Globalization Initiative together with Durham University in the UK and Yale University in the USA to deliver an exclusive programme in partnership with Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

 

8. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大学, Tōkyō Kōgyō Daigaku), usually called Tokodai (東工大, Tōkōdai) or Tokyo Tech, is the largest institution of higher learning in Japan dedicated to science and technology. Tokyo Institute of Technology is recognized as a leading university, especially in natural science and engineering field. The university was ranked the 61st in overall performance (4th best Japanese University), the 21st in technology, and the 57th in natural science among the world's best universities in 2008, according to the TIMES-QS World University Rankings.

 

The institute has three campuses, the Ōokayama campus in Ōokayama, Meguro being the main campus. The other two campuses are the Tamachi campus, located in Shibaura, Minato and the Suzukakedai campus, located in Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama.

 

The university is a member of LAOTSE, an international network of leading universities in Europe and Asia exchanging students and senior scholars.

 

7. Seoul National University

Seoul National University (SNU), colloquially known in Korean as Seouldae (서울대), is a public research university located in Seoul, Republic of Korea, ranked 50th in the world and 8th in Asia by US News and World Report (citing a survey performed by THES-QS World University Rankings), and 24th in the world in publications by the Science Citation Index. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University was the first national university in South Korea, and served as a model for the many national and public universities in the country. Seoul National University has been recognized for its leading role in Korean academia.

 

Throughout its history, Seoul National University has been regarded as the most eminent of all post-secondary educational institutions in South Korea. It is regarded as the most renowned university by the general public and recruits top-notch high school students. To join the international trend of learning, the university's faculty recruiting effort includes more than 350 foreign professors. Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen and Fields Medal recipient Hironaka Heisuke are on the faculty roster.

 

Today Seoul National University comprises sixteen colleges and six professional schools, with a student body of about thirty-thousand. It has two campuses in Seoul: the main campus in Gwanak, and the medical campus (named Yeongeon Campus after its neighbourhood) in Jongno. SNU is notable for its "fleet-style" system, offering diplomas for virtually every academic field, from aerospace engineering to Western history.

 

6. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

KAIST Business School is a postgraduate business university located in Seoul, South Korea. KAIST Business School was established in 1996 as the nation’s first graduate school specializing in business and management education. It is regarded as one of the leading business schools in Korea.

 

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) was founded in 1971 as the Korea Advanced Institute of Science (KAIS). KAIS was authorized by the Ministry of Science and Technology to educate scientific researchers and technology specialists and to grant masters and doctoral degrees. In 1989, KAIS was united with the Korea Institute of Technology (KIT), and undergraduate school. KIT was founded to provide special education for gifted students and was authorized to confer bachelor's degrees.

 

5. Osaka University

Osaka University (大阪大学, Ōsaka daigaku), or Handai (阪大, Handai), is a major national university in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan, as the Prefectural Osaka Medical College, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan.

 

Hideki Yukawa obtained his Nobel Prize in Physics on his early work conducted at Osaka University.

Osaka University is recognized as a leading university, especially in basic sciences and medical field. The university was ranked the 44th among the world's best universities and the 3rd best Japanese university in 2008, according to the QS World University Rankings.

 

4. Kyoto University

Kyoto University (京都大学, Kyōto daigaku?), or Kyodai (京大, Kyōdai?) is a major national university in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest university in Japan, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan. The university has a total of about 22,000 students enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs.

 

Kyoto University has historically advocated a "spirit of freedom" in its academic activities The university established itself as a premier research university with six Nobel Laureates and two Fields Medalists among its faculties and alumni. The university is also known as the home of the Kyoto School group of philosophers.

 

Kyoto University is acknowledged as one of the top two universities in Japan, and was ranked as the 22nd best university in the world in 2007 according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities. The Times Higher Education Supplement ranked Kyoto University as the 25th in the world and the 3rd in Asia in 2007.

 

3. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (often abbreviated HKUST) is a public university located in Hong Kong. Established in 1991 under Hong Kong Law Chapter 1141 (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Ordinance), it is one of the nine universities in Hong Kong.

Professor Paul Ching-wu Chu. is the current president of HKUST. Its campus is located in Sai Kung District in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Overlooking Clear Water Bay, the school is home to 9,000 students as well as 453 professors.

 

Since its official opening in 1991, the university has become one of the top universities in Hong Kong and is among the most prestigious in Asia. The Times Higher Education ranked HKUST 39th worldwide and 24th in technology . The HKUST Business School’s MBA program was ranked first in Asia, 11th worldwide by the EIU and 16th worldwide by the Financial Times.

 

2. The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, commonly referred to as CUHK, is the second oldest university in Hong Kong; it is campus-based and also the only collegiate university in the territory. The motto of the university is "博文約禮" in Chinese, meaning "to broaden one's intellectual horizon and keep within the bounds of propriety".

 

The Chinese University does not conduct its classes solely in Cantonese. Cantonese, English, and Mandarin are the languages of instruction.

 

The University ranks as the 42nd university worldwide and the third in Hong Kong and PRC in the 2008 Times Higher Education Supplement rankings.

 

1. The University of Hong Kong

The University of Hong Kong (informally Hong Kong University, or simply HKU) is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Its motto is "Sapientia et Virtus" in Latin, meaning "wisdom and virtue", and "明德格物" in Chinese. The official language of instruction is English.

 

The University is referred by Quacquarelli Symonds as a "world-class comprehensive research university" [3] and was ranked 26th on the 2008 THES - QS World University Rankings, making it 3rd in Asia (after University of Tokyo and Kyoto University).

 

In 2009, it was ranked the 1st in Asian universities by Quacquarelli Symonds.