Universiti Malaya (UM) has achieved its highest-ever position in the QS World University Rankings, rising to 56th place globally in the latest edition and reinforcing its standing as Malaysia's top-ranked university and one of Southeast Asia's leading higher education institutions. The latest results place UM within the top 3.7% of universities worldwide.
The QS World University Rankings 2027 evaluated 8,808 institutions worldwide, with only 1,504 institutions published in the final rankings across 106 locations. In Malaysia, 32 institutions were evaluated in this edition.
UM also maintained its position as the No. 1 university in Malaysia overall, while ranking first nationally in several key indicators, namely Academic Reputation , Employer Reputation , Employment Outcomes and Sustainability.
At the global level, UM continued to record notable performances across multiple indicators, ranking 56th worldwide for Academic Reputation and 61st for Employer Reputation. The university also achieved strong global positions in International Research Network (125th), International Students (153rd), Sustainability (166th), and Employment Outcomes (184th).
UM’s overall score for the 2027 edition stands at 81.2, reflecting the university’s strong performance across the key QS performance lenses, namely Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Sustainability, Learning Experience, and Global Engagement.
Notably, UM continued to record outstanding performance in the reputation indicators under the Research and Discovery as well as Employability and Outcomes lenses, achieving scores of 92.8 for Academic Reputation and 93.1 for Employer Reputation. These achievements reflect the continued recognition of UM’s academic excellence by global academics and employers, as well as the university’s strong standing in producing highly employable and industry-ready graduates.
The university also maintained strong momentum in global engagement and international collaboration, achieving a score of 93.4 in the International Research Network indicator, reflecting UM’s extensive and sustained international research partnerships. Meanwhile, UM continued to strengthen its global presence through its internationalisation indicators, recording scores of 93.1 for International Students and 83.7 for International Faculty, highlighting the university’s growing international attractiveness and global outlook. In addition, UM continued to demonstrate strong commitment towards sustainability and societal impact, maintaining its position as the top-ranked university in Malaysia for the Sustainability indicator.
Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya, Dato’ Seri Profesor Ir. Dr. Noor Azuan Abu Osman, said the achievement reflects the university’s continued commitment towards academic excellence, impactful research, graduate employability, sustainability, and global engagement.
“This achievement reflects the collective dedication and commitment of our academic staff, researchers, students, alumni, industry partners, and stakeholders. Universiti Malaya will continue to strengthen its role as a globally competitive institution that contributes meaningfully to society through excellence in education, research, innovation, and sustainability.”
The latest ranking performance further supports Universiti Malaya’s long-term strategic aspiration to strengthen its global competitiveness and international reputation as Malaysia’s premier university.
As Malaysia’s premier university, UM continues to play a leading role in driving research excellence, innovation, sustainability, and talent development at both regional and global levels.
Last Update: 22/06/2026