SNU leads Korean universities in 2027 THE rankings, and KAIST, Sungkyunkwan hit record highs
Seoul National University (SNU) led Korean universities at No. 56. Meanwhile, KAIST rose from No. 70 to No. 64, and Sungkyunkwan University did the same, rising to No. 68.
Sungkyunkwan University campus in Jongno District, central SeoulSUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY
Seoul National University (SNU) again claimed the title of the highest-ranked Korean institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, with KAIST and Sungkyunkwan University also recording their highest placement.
SNU ranked No. 56, the highest-ranked Korean university, up two spots from last year, according to the rankings released on Wednesday. SNU has maintained its position as the top-ranked Korean university for 14 consecutive years.
KAIST, a science and technology-focused institution based in Daejeon, rose from No. 70 to No. 64, recording its highest ranking ever on the list. Yonsei University, the fourth highest-ranked Korean university, also climbed six places to No. 80.
Among Korean universities, Sungkyunkwan University saw the biggest jump from No. 87 last year, boosted by improvements in the International Outlook and Research Quality categories, specifically in the university's reputation and citation power, and recorded its highest ranking ever at No. 68.
THE ranks universities based on five criteria: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook. Its 2027 rankings feature 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories.
Korea University also climbed from a tied No. 156 last year to No. 128 this year and was the fifth highest-ranked Korean university.
Pohang University of Science and Technology followed at No. 143, Kyung Hee University at No. 237 and Sejong University at No. 281. Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology also tied at No. 281.
A total of 10 Korean universities, including Hanyang University, made the top 300.
Across all universities, Britain’s University of Oxford ranked first. Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States ranked second, followed by its fellow U.S.-based Princeton University and Stanford University.
Among Asian universities, China’s Tsinghua University ranked highest at No. 11, followed by another Chinese university, Peking University, at No. 13. The National University of Singapore and the University of Tokyo followed at No. 15 and No. 27, respectively.
