Record 4 Taiwanese universities make QS top 200

London, June 18 (CNA) A record four Taiwanese universities placed in the top 200 of the latest QS World University Rankings, led by National Taiwan University (NTU), which rose from 63rd last year to its highest-ever ranking of 54th.

NTU was joined in the top 200 by National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) at 142nd, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University at 177th and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) at 191st.

According to QS data, all four universities are at their highest-ever positions in the rankings. NCKU entered the top 200 for the first time, while NTHU recorded the largest year-on-year improvement, climbing 34 places from last year.

Also ranked among the world's top 500 universities were National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (379th), National Taiwan Normal University (423rd), National Sun Yat-sen University (438th) and National Taipei University of Technology (494th).

The U.K.-based QS said the rankings are based on weighted evaluations across five broad areas: research and discovery, employability and outcomes, learning experience, global engagement and sustainability.

Taiwan's universities performed particularly strongly in the "employment outcomes" indicator under the employability and outcomes category. NTU ranked 10th globally in this measure, while National Chengchi University -- ranked 613th overall -- placed 65th.

However, Taiwan's institutions were less competitive in the "employer reputation" indicator under the same category, which measures perceptions among global employers. NTU was the only Taiwanese university to rank among the top 100, placing 64th.

QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter told CNA that Taiwan's latest QS results reflect an "interaction between sustained research investment and a growing policy emphasis on strategic workforce development."

He also noted that recent policy initiatives have expanded support for semiconductor, AI and advanced manufacturing talent development in partnership with universities.

Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained the No. 1 spot for a record 15th consecutive year. Imperial College London and Stanford University tied for second place.

They were followed by the University of Oxford and Harvard University, rounding out the top five.

The University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology were next in the rankings, while ETH Zürich and University College London tied for eighth. The National University of Singapore completed the top 10.

This year's rankings included more than 1,500 universities from 106 countries and territories around the world.