US EditionChinese universities surge in global rankings as U.S. schools slip
Chinese universities lead seven of the top 10 research output spots, while Harvard falls to third amid US federal funding cuts and travel restrictions, experts say.
- In the latest Leiden Rankings, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, has climbed to No. 1, supplanting Harvard University, United States, which has slipped to third and remains the only top American university, yesterday.
- China has poured billions into its universities and pushed researchers to publish in English, while Chinese research policies offer visas for top graduates backed by Xi Jinping, President of China.
- Leiden's top 10 now includes seven other Chinese universities alongside Zhejiang, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China near the top and University of Toronto, Canada at 10th.
- Educators warn that the drop in international student arrivals and federal grant reductions could weaken U.S. universities' prestige and research output.
- Despite the reshuffle, Harvard University still ranks first for highly cited scientific publications, while Times Higher Education's 2026 list favors seven U.S. schools despite Chinese gains.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Chinese Universities Surpass Harvard Despite Glaring Lack of Racial Diversity
Harvard is no longer the most productive research university in the world, according to a respected global ranking that assesses schools on academic publication. The Ivy League darling dropped to No. 3 in 2025, surpassed by two Chinese universities that managed to excel despite an alarming lack of racial diversity.The post Chinese Universities Surpass Harvard Despite Glaring Lack of Racial Diversity appeared first on .
For years, Harvard University dominated the prestigious list of the world's most productive universities (those producing the most research), but now it has dropped to third place. Chinese universities are making significant gains, publishing increasingly more and better research. "The result of Donald Trump's decisions," writes The New York Times.
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