Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has climbed six places to 128th in the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2027, cementing its position as Malaysia’s second-highest ranked university and among the world’s top 10% institutions.
In a statement, USM said only 1,504 universities were ranked globally out of 8,808 institutions assessed in this year’s edition, compared with 8,467 institutions evaluated previously.
The university attributed its improved standing to continued efforts in strengthening academic excellence, expanding research impact, advancing internationalisation and driving sustainability initiatives.
USM recorded one of its strongest performances in the International Students indicator, ranking 61st globally. It also placed 100th worldwide in the International Research Network (IRN) indicator, making it the top-performing Malaysian university in that category.
The institution posted gains in five of the nine key QS indicators, namely IRN, Sustainability, Faculty-Student Ratio, Citations per Faculty and International Faculty.
USM also strengthened its research footprint, with net publications rising 7.46% between 2020 and 2024, while net citations excluding self-citations increased 23.94% from 2020 to 2025.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Ir Dr Abdul Rahman Mohamed said the achievement reflected the collective commitment of the university community to elevate USM’s global standing.
He said the university would continue to drive higher education transformation through high-impact research, strategic internationalisation, global talent development and its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This achievement is not merely an improvement in rankings but reflects USM’s ability to produce high-impact research, build strong global collaborations and nurture graduates capable of competing on the international stage,” he said.
