Mainland Chinese institutions have taken a commanding lead in 2026, securing nine of the top 10 spots in a ranking that evaluates research output in high-quality academic publications.
For the first time since the index was launched in 2014, Harvard University has fallen from the top position.
Chinese institutions have dominated this year’s rankings, claiming nine of the top 10 places—an increase from eight in the previous year’s list.
Within the top 20, China holds 17 positions, while Stanford University ranks 12th and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sits at 17th.