What to expect from the QS 2019 university rankings

At 9pm (BST) today, June 6, the QS World University Rankings 2019 will be released.

Showcasing the top 1,000 universities in the world, the QS rankings are one of the most highly regarded university rankings released annually.

The institutions are measured against six criteria: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty to student ratio, citations per faculty, ratio of international faculty members and ratio of international students.

So, what can we expect from this year’s results?

QS World University Rankings 2019 is released tomorrow! 🦁
Get ready to meet the world's top universities on June 6th! #QSWUR https://t.co/Y0RotTW8TC

— QS World University Rankings (@worlduniranking) June 5, 2018

QS Top Universities has given us a taste of what to expect from the long-anticipated rankings…

Potential Brexit troubles for the UK

The UK remains in a state of flux and uncertainty over what Brexit will mean for international students. Cambridge, Oxford and a number of London universities usually hold some of the top places in the rankings, but will they be able to retain those high scores with Brexit on the horizon?

The UK had a very respectable four institutions in the top 10 in 2018’s rankings but it’s uncertain whether the country will score so well in 2019 when students within the European Union are doubtful about studying there.

Considering the focus on international representation within the rankings, QS claimed there could be “trouble” brewing for the UK.

Will the US’ MIT keep first place?

For the last six years, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US has been ranked as the absolute best higher education institution in the world.

Coming soon: The #QS World University #Rankings 2019 will be released tomorrow! Get ready to meet the best #universities in the world #QSWURhttps://t.co/8roLFuJaqc pic.twitter.com/IIBWf27BgG

— EduData Summit (@EduDataSummit) June 5, 2018

No institution has ever held the title for as long as seven years in QS ranking history. Could this be the year the record is broken?

QS aren’t telling, merely offering us this insight as a little teaser.

MIT faces stiff competition from other top universities in the US including Stanford, Harvard, and Caltech.

Australia could climb the table

The very top spots are usually almost entirely taken up by UK and US institutions, however, last year an Australian university managed to creep into the top 20.

The Australian National University climbed two places in the 2018 rankings, making it the only institution from Oz to be considered one of the best 20 universities in the world.

QS reported this “marked a momentous moment for the country’s institutions,” but admitted it can be tough to retain those top positions.

Universities in Sydney and Melbourne are also threatening to make their way up the table this year as the cities’ universities’ reputation grows.

Will Australia manage to stay in the top 20?

Keep your eyes peeled on our website for a report on the rankings coming June 7 to find out.

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