UM climbs to 58th place
PETALING JAYA: Universiti Malaya (UM) has climbed two spots to 58th place in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2026.
This latest achievement cements its position as Malaysia's top university, and the only Malaysian institution in the global top 100.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
The country's oldest university, which ranks 16th in Asia, also leads nationally in five of the nine QS indicators, notably placing 58th for Academic Reputation and 40th for Employer Reputation.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia came in second, rising 12 spots from 138th to 126th.
In third place, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia tied at 134th globally after climbing 14 and 12 spots, respectively.
Rounding out Malaysia's institutions in the global top 200 is Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, which jumped 28 spots to place 153rd.
In the top 300, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) rose 18 places to secure 251st, making it the highest-ranking private institution in Malaysia, followed by Taylor's University at 253rd and UCSI University at 269th.
Meanwhile, Sunway University and Universiti Utara Malaysia climbed into the top 500, placing 410th and 491st, respectively.
In total, 10 Malaysian universities are now ranked in the top 500 – up from eight last year.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said the university is expanding its global presence by attracting top talent worldwide to drive positive change.
'With programmes such as postdoctoral offerings, grants and global partnerships with key countries and institutions, the university continues its unwavering drive to be among the world's best,' he said.
UTP president Mohamed Firouz Asnan said this latest global recognition strengthens the university's resolve to become not only Malaysia's leading university, but also a world-class, hyper-focused, cutting-edge engineering institution anchored in societal impact, sustainability and industry-driven innovation.
Meanwhile, Taylor's University vice-chancellor and president Prof Barry Winn said the university is expanding its student community, investing in staff, and strengthening innovation and partnerships to help solve global issues and contribute to nation-building.
UCSI University vice-chancellor Emerita Prof Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir said the university's milestone reflects its commitment to academic excellence, impactful research, global engagement and consequential graduate outcomes.
Sunway University president and vice-chancellor Prof Sibrandes Poppema said the university is committed to sustaining its momentum and continuing to contribute meaningfully to Malaysia and the global community.
SEGi University achieved Malaysia's highest rank in any individual indicator, placing 13th globally in International Students Ratio – the third-highest ranking in Asia.
A total of 32 Malaysian higher education institutions were ranked this year, of which 19 rose, five remained stable in their ranks, five featured for the first time, and three dropped.
Malaysia also achieved the world's highest rate of improvement with 70% of its 32 institutions rising in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
In a statement, QS said Malaysia outperformed the global average in five indicators, most notably in International Student Ratio.
'Malaysia also improved overall in five indicators, most prominently in Academic Reputation and International Research Network. It dropped overall in four indicators, with the sharpest drop seen in Employment Outcomes,' it said.
The full 22nd edition of the rankings, released yesterday, can be found at https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BusinessToday
5 hours ago
- BusinessToday
Malaysia's GDP Growth Forecast To Slow To 4.3%, BNM Expected To Cut OPR: ICAEW Report
FMIP Malaysia's economy is expected to decelerate in 2025 as external challenges mount, according to the latest Southeast Asia Economic Insight Q2 2025 report by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). The report forecasts Malaysia's GDP growth to slow to 4.3% this year from 5.1% in 2024, citing global trade tensions and waning demand from key partners such as the US and China. Despite a strong start to the year, with goods exports surging 26% year-on-year in April, ICAEW cautions that this uptick is largely due to front-loaded shipments to the US ahead of anticipated tariff hikes. Export growth is expected to cool significantly in the second half of the year, after already slowing to just 1.6% year-on-year in Q1 2025, well below the 7.1% average recorded over the previous three quarters. Malaysia's reliance on global trade—especially with the US, which directly or indirectly accounts for over 4% of GDP and 11% of gross exports—makes it vulnerable to tariff risks. While the US has softened its proposed blanket tariff rate on Malaysian imports to 10% from 24%, the measure still poses a threat to exporters. Meanwhile, weaker demand from China, Malaysia's top export destination, adds further pressure. However, ICAEW sees some bright spots supporting Malaysia's economy: Electrical and Electronics (E&E) exports remain robust, rising about 20% year-to-date on sustained global demand, reinforcing Malaysia's key role in the semiconductor supply chain. The tourism sector continues to rebound, with ASEAN tourists—who made up 67% of arrivals in 2024—driving a 17% year-on-year increase in tourism-related services exports in Q1 2025. 'ASEAN's strength lies in its unity,' said Dato' Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Executive Chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia and ICAEW Council Member. Speaking at the ASEAN Investment Conference 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, he stressed the importance of regional cooperation in navigating global uncertainties. Monetary Easing Expected to Support Domestic Demand With fiscal space limited due to elevated public debt, ICAEW expects Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to take the lead in stimulating the economy. Subdued inflation—hovering around 1.5%—has created room for the central bank to cut its Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) by 50 basis points later in 2025. BNM has already adopted a more accommodative tone to counter risks from softening investment and consumer sentiment. The report highlights a broader economic deceleration trend across key indicators from March 2022 to March 2025, including: Slower GDP growth Weakened private consumption Moderated goods and services exports Nonetheless, ICAEW believes Malaysia's economy will stay on track, thanks to timely policy measures and resilient performance in strategic sectors. Singapore and China Also Facing Slowdowns The ICAEW report also provided updates on other major regional economies with Singapore where GDP contracted 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2025, dragged by weak manufacturing and wholesale trade. A temporary export surge in April (+25% YoY) has likely delayed a technical recession. Full-year GDP is forecast at 1.8%, down from 4.4% in 2024, with policy buffers helping cushion the slowdown. As for China, GDP growth is projected to slow to 4.4% in 2025 (2024: 5.0%) amid continued weakness in property, investment, and consumption. Trade truce with the US offers short-term relief, but future tariff uncertainty and deflationary pressures persist. ICAEW adds that Southeast Asian economies need to remain agile, cohesive, and proactive in policy responses to maintain resilience and long-term growth. Related
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Healthcare burden
Few wage earners, especially Gen Z and millennials, seem concerned about saving for retirement. They view a nest egg as a strange concept, believing it's the the Employees Provident Fund's (EPF) responsibility. Their main concern is current spending, not on big purchases but on daily essentials — utilities, Internet data, rent, food, clothes, transportation and family support. Whatever little left of their monthly salaries goes towards leisurely pursuits. Even with an inflationary economy, these expenditures have bumped Malaysian consumer annual spending by five per cent, reaching RM904.6 billion, according to one study. This heavy spending has driven consumption growth back to pre-Covid-19 levels, supported by a rebounding economy that mirrors previous consumption patterns. Apparently, this RM904.6 billion in spending is still insufficient, especially for significant expenses that monthly salaries can barely cover. This has led to calls for the EPF to expand Account 2 for medical insurance, in addition to existing withdrawals for education, housing and healthcare. Are Malaysians burdened by medical insurance costs? Premiums can range from RM100 to more than RM2,500 monthly, depending on age, health condition, coverage and policy terms. Medical inflation in Malaysia is significant, at a high rate of 12.6 per cent. Consequently, falling ill without insurance is difficult, but hospitalisation — unless it's a government–subsidised facility — is almost unaffordable. Many Malay-sians, preferring smoother and faster admittance, opt for expensive private hospitals even though diagnosis and treatment quality are comparable to public facilities. Given the rising medical and living costs, the demand to widen Account 2 withdrawals is understandable. If approved, this expansion could significantly improve medical insurance coverage and take a big weight off the national healthcare system but it would also inevitably deplete EPF savings, particularly if funds are spent on non-essential or poorly chosen insurance plans, a risk further aggravated by aggressive marketing from health insurance companies. Quantifying the EPF's potential allocation for medical insurance withdrawals is challenging, but it would likely be substantial given that nearly everyone might apply. While previous figures show personal medical insurance coverage among Malaysians ranging from 22 to 45 per cent, a 2024 survey reported that 42 per cent have no coverage at all. If approved, the EPF must set clear guidelines on eligible insurance types and treatments. At the same time, contributors need to understand the long-term trade-offs of prematurely depleting their retirement funds. Ultimately, the quickest way to ensure coverage is to view medical insurance much like rent: costly but necessary. Perhaps Malaysians could redirect some funds from their monthly budget or "unnecessary" spending. Such choices would be difficult. Still, EPF contributors will likely argue that present survival is more relevant than worrying about the future. This perspective stems from an emerging philosophy of "retired but still working", a reality already taking hold.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Malaysian timber exports may gain edge in US market, says FRIM forest products director
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's timber exports may gain a competitive edge in the US market due to higher tariffs imposed on regional rivals such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Vietnam, once a leading furniture exporter in the region, now faces tariffs as high as 46% compared with Malaysia's import levy of 24%, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) director of forest products division Wan Tarmeze Wan Ariffin said. 'US President Donald Trump imposed higher tariffs on Vietnam probably because they're afraid China might use Vietnam as a manufacturing hub' to bypass American trade restrictions,' he told Bernama. The United States is the largest buyer of Malaysian furniture, accounting for over half of furniture exports. However, the tariffs announced on April 2 have been paused for 90 days till early July to allow America's trading partners to negotiate for lower tariffs. 'If they don't impose high tariffs on Vietnam, China could exploit that route. So, on paper, the advantage actually lies with us (Malaysia),' he said. In 2022, Malaysia exported timber and timber products worth RM7.73 billion to the US. This was an increase from RM3.76 billion in 2018. Malaysia's timber exports worldwide include furniture, logs, veneer, plywood and medium-density fibreboard. Asked on the challenges faced by the timber industry, Wan Tarmeze said Malaysia's furniture sector primarily relies on processed wood rather than solid timber, with wood-based materials accounting for up to 85% of inputs in the making of the furniture. Wan Tarmeze said the ongoing Iran-Israel military conflict is not expected to have a direct impact on Malaysia's timber exports. Nevertheless, post-conflict reconstruction could open up new market opportunities and raise demand for Malaysian timber. 'Wars often lead to widespread destruction, but once the situation stabilises, there's usually a surge in demand for rebuilding – including homes and infrastructure,' he said. When asked how Malaysia can position itself as a high-value timber exporter rather than a volume-based player, he said the shift ultimately depends on the industry players themselves. 'This has been a long-standing conversation as Malaysia is still heavily reliant on the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) model, manufacturing timber products for others without having its own strong, internationally recognised brands. 'Take IKEA for example, which is a Swedish brand while Italy has its own well-known brand names, but Malaysia has yet to produce a brand that stands out globally,' Wan Tarmeze said. OEM refers to manufacturing products for other brands, whereas original brand manufacturers (OBM) involves developing and marketing products under one's own brand name. Wan Tarmeze said that despite the government's repeated calls for the industry to move from being OEM to OBM, the shift has yet to happen. 'The issue is not about identity but branding, and without branding we can't build value. 'The truth is Malaysia tends to shy away from copying, but we should be more open to learning from others, even 'stealing' ideas in the sense of adapting best practices and making them our own,' he said.
