List of Top Universities in the World for 2026

October 11, 2025 | 04:54 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The academic realm is one where excellence isn’t pursued only by students, but also by the institutions themselves. Times Higher Education has examined 2,191 higher education institutions for the 2026 ranking of top universities in the world, assessing them across key performance indicators such as teaching, research environment, research quality, industry outreach, and international outlook, which all contribute to an overall score.

Unsurprisingly, the University of Oxford retains the top spot for the tenth consecutive year, bolstered by a perfect score in its research environment. Close behind, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) secures second place, standing out with a perfect score in industry outreach.

Here’s a closer look at the 10 top universities in the world, according to Times Higher Education.

List of Top Universities in the World 2026

1. University of Oxford - 98.2

Since 2017, the University of Oxford has consistently held the number one position in top universities in the world rankings. This achievement makes Oxford the only university to have maintained this position in all 21 editions of the annual rankings. Its success is bolstered by rigorous efforts to strengthen performance across key indicators, along with a strong focus and commitment to excellence on the ...