UK universities drop in global reputation rankings for research and teaching

'Britain has some of the most prestigious institutions – but their status is in no way guaranteed'

Cambridge was still the top ranked UK university in this year's rankings (AFP/Getty)

British universities have fallen down international league tables, raising fears that that their status among the global elite will “not be guaranteed” after Brexit.

A new global table, based on reputation for research and teaching, include nine UK universities this year – down from 10 spots in the top 100 list last year.

Durham has lost its place on Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Rankings while universities in London – including University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London – have all dropped down in the table.

Increased global competition has seen the reputation of universities in the US and Asia improve and this is understood to have stopped British universities from gaining places this year.

Phil Baty, THE’s editorial director of global rankings, described the decline of London universities – which he said were known for drawing in talent from across the globe – as “worrying”.

He added that “the damage could be significant” if they continue to fall down the rankings.

“The UK has some of the most prestigious universities in the world, admired across the continents,” he said. ”But their status is in no way guaranteed – all UK universities have either fallen down the global pecking order this year or stayed static.

“This should give pause for serious thought as the country seeks to champion its status as ‘global Britain’ in a post-Brexit world.”

Institutions progressing the most have a greater international focus, which has raised fears that the reputation of UK universities could deteriorate as Britain becomes more cut off from the European Union.

Ellie Bothwell, THE’s Global rankings editor, said: “Universities can’t thrive in isolation. They work on issues that transcend borders. They have to be free to attract and retain the best global talent to innovate and compete.

“British universities are still a global elite and we’re not going to witness any sudden change to that – but to retain their power status in the long term, it’s critical they’re able to stay open to the world. Isolationism will chip away at any university’s reputation.”

But she added that it was “too soon” to make any links between the UK’s performance this year and Brexit.

The rankings are based on a survey of more than 10,000 academics in 138 countries. They are asked to name the best universities for research and teaching in their field, based on their experience

The US continues to dominate the rankings, with Harvard taking the top spot again this year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second and Stanford University in third.

Cambridge was still the top ranked UK university in this year’s rankings, taking fourth place, with Oxford one spot behind in fifth – a fall of one place compared with last year.

Meanwhile, UCL (joint 18th) and Imperial College London (20th), still made it into the top 20 – despite dropping places on last year.

Mr Baty said that UK universities “must remain open to the world, and free to draw in the most outstanding international talent” if they are to continue to thrive in future years.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK (UUK), added: “It is clear from this, and other such rankings, that the UK has one of the strongest university sectors in the world. This success in in large part due to the quality and dedication of staff working in our universities.

“However, we must not be complacent. Many of our major competitors are growing their investment in higher education and doing more to attract international talent. In order to maintain our global position, we need to continue to invest in higher education and ensure that the UK projects a more open and welcoming message for talented international staff and students.”

The top UK universities for world reputation

University	2018	2017
Cambridge	4	=4
Oxford	5	=4
UCL	=18	16
Imperial College London	20	18
LSE	25	20
Edinburgh	35	=34
King’s College London	42	41
Manchester	51-60	51-60
Warwick	81-90	81-90