Higher education quality index reveals China’s rapid ascent in 2025

The newly released China Global Study University Quality Index suggests that while the US is still the number one in higher education worldwide, China is closing in fast, especially in the lower status ranks of the higher education system. Articles by Renmin University of China explained that the index was developed based on a three-tier construction, including disciplines, universities, and overseas study destinations.

It offered an assessment across forty-two academic fields, of which thirteen were in humanities and social sciences, and twenty-nine were in science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine. Schools were graded A+ to C, with due consideration given to academic innovation and talent cultivation index factors comprising innovation (50 per cent), talent training (30 per cent), and international reputation (20 per cent).

United States Still Ahead, But China Rising

These findings by Renmin University confirmed that American universities remain dominant, constituting 35 per cent of the top 100 institutions, with the US reportedly enjoying a solid lead in both humanities and STEM.

However, the statistics revealed considerable advancement for Chinese universities in general global standings. China's share was at 14 per cent of the top 100, with eleven institutions from the Chinese mainland higher education quality index. This share went up to 15 per cent in the top 300 and 17 per cent in the global top 500 higher education destinations, inclusive of China. Analysts remarked that this reflects international university ranking China's progress and higher education quality outside the elite institutions.

STEM Competitiveness in China

The report identified China's competitive position in STEM, affirming that a good standard was achieved by its institutions in materials science, electronic engineering, chemistry, and computer science. While China fares well in terms of STEM education competitiveness, the report claimed it lacks “pinnacle” institutions like the US has. There are still gaps in the humanities and social sciences fields, except for economics. Some of the gaps could be associated with structural issues like the monopoly of English-language publishing and the worldwide disciplinary discourse pattern.

Global Study Destinations

The Renmin University global study index has also come up with a list of the top global study destinations. The prospective countries and regions are the US, China, the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Spain. Zhou Guangli, executive director of the Renmin University Evaluation Research Centre, said the index identified a global top 500 but opted not to produce a strict 1-to-500 ranking. He stated that the goal was to show that all institutions listed were quality choices, moving away from stressful ordinal rankings.

Why China’s Higher Education Quality Index Is Improving Rapidly

Experts remarked about the link between China’s progress and national interests, the development of education services, and the welfare of students and their families. They went on to say that existing global rankings often favour STEM-related institutions and associated research output, while the new index attempts to level the playing field across disciplines. The former president of the China Association of Higher Education, Qu Zhenyuan, states that comparing universities across disciplines is methodologically meaningful. He pointed out that institutions like Renmin University and Tsinghua University had very different academic strengths.

Adding a dimension for "international education environment" would account for elements such as global relations and unexpected events, proposes Wang Zhanjun of the Beijing Institute of Technology. Meanwhile, Chen Zhiwen of EOL noted that fewer Chinese students were choosing Western destinations, while Belt and Road countries such as Thailand and Malaysia were becoming more popular due to industrial relocation and family business strategies.

The global study quality index ranking universities in China and the US explained shows that while the US remains the leader, China ascends higher education ranking 2025, explained with steady progress. The Asia higher education rankings reflect China's performance reflects growing competitiveness, especially in STEM. For international students, the impact of university rankings on international students is clear: the global study destinations list now includes China as a major option. Those interested can download the global study quality index China report, apply to top Chinese universities ranked globally, or compare global university rankings for study abroad through available university ranking data and insights 2025.

Editor’s Note:

The latest global study quality index indicates that America has kept its front position in terms of higher education, whereas China is gradually closing the gap. The approach on which the basis of this analysis is built is by delineating disciplines, universities, and study destinations. Indeed, innovation, talent training, and reputation weigh into the analysis. It appears that China has covered a wide swathe of STEM subjects, but is still deficient in numbers regarding the number of top-tier institutions as compared to the US. In the humanities and social sciences, except for economics, the gap still looms larger. Significantly, it does not issue a rigid 1-500 ranking. It, hence, emphasises a wider group of quality schools to lessen pressures on students and families. Moving away from the stress of ordinal rankings would enable students in the prospective years to consider more than just the very top names. Yet, certain limits exist. Publishing in English and the current patterns in global academic discourse create winners and structural factors that will affect how institutions are judged internationally. Real-life factors, even more than methodology, affect how students look at various countries or study destinations. What feeds into odds would be the possible influence of international relations, sudden events, and changing global priorities on the rational processes that lead to consideration of a study destination. For example, political tensions or unexpected crises will decrease the attractiveness of a particular country. This implies that even though the index structures a view, it cannot entirely capture the fast pace at which global educational choices change. Families and students should thus regard it as a starting point and not the be-all and end-all of matters. It is good for flagging disciplinary strengths and broad trends, but should be treated with other soundly obtained information. Course quality, return on investment for those graduates, and the surrounding learning environment carry equal weight. Comparing what is available across different countries and institutions according to one's priorities will convey a more level picture of what higher education has to offer.

Skoobuzz underlines that the index provides a good perspective on gazing at global higher education, with the US still ahead but China really rising fast. But it should be put alongside other reliable information so that choices made will be influenced by both data and personal needs.

FAQs

1. What is China’s education ranking in the world?

China has risen quickly in the global higher education quality index, moving into second place behind the United States. The latest Renmin University study quality index findings show that China accounts for 14 per cent of the top 100 institutions, 15 per cent of the top 300, and 17 per cent of the global top 500 higher education destinations, including China. This reflects China's narrowing of the gap with the United States in higher education, especially in STEM fields.

2. What is the rank 1 university in China?

The leading university in China is Tsinghua University, based in Beijing. It consistently ranks first in national and international tables, followed closely by Peking University. These institutions are recognised for their strengths in engineering, computer science, and economics, and they represent the pinnacle of Chinese universities' global ranking statistics.

3. Which country is the top 1 in education?

Globally, the United States remains the number one country in higher education, hosting 35 per cent of the world’s top 100 universities. In broader education system rankings, countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Finland also perform strongly in terms of overall schooling quality.

4. Is China good for higher education?

Yes, China is now considered a strong option for higher education. The global university study quality index China highlights its STEM education competitiveness, with notable strengths in materials science, electronic engineering, chemistry, and computer science. While humanities and social sciences still show gaps compared with the US, China offers a wide range of quality institutions and is increasingly included in the top global study destinations list.

5. Which country leads in international higher education?

The United States and the United Kingdom continue to lead in international higher education, hosting many of the world’s top-ranked universities. For student mobility, Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and Germany are the most popular destinations. China is also becoming a major study destination, especially for students from Asia and Belt and Road countries.