USM ADVANCES INTO WORLD TOP 350 IN THE WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2027

PENANG, 30 September 2026 — Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has entered the world’s top 350 universities, advancing to the 326–350 band in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027.

With 2,297 universities listed in the latest edition, USM is now positioned within approximately the top 15 per cent of ranked universities worldwide.

The result continues USM’s progress on the international stage, following its placement in the 601–800 band from 2020 to 2023 and the 401–500 band from 2024 to 2026.

The achievement marks further progress for a Malaysian research university in a competitive global landscape, with higher scores across all five THE assessment pillars.

International Outlook remains USM’s most prominent strength, with a score of 80.4, up from 76.5 in the previous edition. The result reflects the university’s international profile through its students and staff, alongside research undertaken with academic partners across countries.

Industry engagement is another highlight. USM’s Industry score rose by 10.6 points to 75.1, the largest increase across the five pillars. The result reinforces knowledge transfer as a strength of the university, connecting research with innovation and technological development.

Research Quality remains an important foundation of USM’s performance, with a score of 66.2. This pillar assesses how the university’s research is cited and influences the development of knowledge within the global academic community.

Improvements in Teaching and Research Environment further complement the achievement, showing progress in indicators of the university’s learning environment and research capacity.

For USM, recognition brings a responsibility to ensure that academic excellence benefits society. The university’s focus remains on education that develops talent and research that helps address national and global challenges.

USM extends its appreciation to its academics, researchers, staff and students, as well as the industry and community partners who have contributed to this achievement.

USM continues to focus on educational quality, research excellence and the benefits of knowledge to society.