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ARWU 2026 Rankings Released: HKU and CityU Among Global Top 100

14 Sep 2026

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According to the latest Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) released by ShanghaiRanking, two Hong Kong institutions have made it into the global top 100. HKU is the highest-ranked local university at No. 62, while CityU has entered the top 100 for the second consecutive year at No. 95.


The University of Hong Kong rose five places from last year to No. 62, while City University of Hong Kong climbed four places to No. 95. HKU said it has set new records in the ARWU for five consecutive years and continues to rank first in Hong Kong. The university attributed the steady rise to its strong academic foundation and research performance, particularly its high-impact research output published in top international academic journals.


Other ranked local institutions include:

  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: 101–150

  • The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: 201–300

  • Hong Kong Baptist University and Lingnan University: 601–700


Lingnan University recorded the largest jump among Hong Kong's eight publicly funded universities, rising from the 901–1000 band to 601–700, an increase of approximately 300 places. CityU's Acting President Lee Chun-sheng said he was proud of the university's second consecutive year in the global top 100 and its position as second in Hong Kong, adding that the university will continue to promote research innovation and support the "Study in Hong Kong" brand.


In the global top 10, all institutions are from the UK and the US, with Harvard University remaining first, followed by Stanford University and MIT. Tsinghua University is Asia's highest-ranked institution at No. 18, while Peking University is ranked No. 22 and Zhejiang University is tied at No. 24.


Additionally, the Nature Index "2026 Research Leaders" ranking released earlier saw five Hong Kong universities make the list. HKU ranked 63rd globally, followed by CityU at 67th, HKUST at 81st, PolyU at 88th, and CUHK at 94th.