areppim: information, pure and simple
Unsurprisingly, the United States lead the ranking of the best universities with 154 (or 31%) amongst the top 500 – and 54% among the top 100 worldwide. The list suggests that the university world belongs to the heavy-weights of the economy. Latin America is represented by only the 4 biggest regional nations, and Africa is absent altogether. Southeast Asia, however, has a strong presence.
500 World-Class Universities by Nation – 2003 - 2010 | ||||||||||||||||
Country | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | ||||||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Argentina | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| Australia | 13 | 2.6% | 14 | 2.8% | 14 | 2.8% | 16 | 3.2% | 17 | 3.3% | 15 | 3.0% | 17 | 3.4% | 17 | 3.4% |
| Austria | 4 | 0.8% | 5 | 1.0% | 6 | 1.2% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% |
| Belgium | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% |
| Brazil | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 5 | 1.0% | 6 | 1.2% | 6 | 1.2% | 6 | 1.2% |
| Canada | 24 | 4.8% | 23 | 4.6% | 23 | 4.6% | 22 | 4.4% | 22 | 4.3% | 21 | 4.2% | 22 | 4.4% | 23 | 4.6% |
| Chile | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| China | 9 | 1.8% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 9 | 1.8% | 14 | 2.7% | 30 | 6.0% | 30 | 6.0% | 22 | 4.4% |
| Czech | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| Denmark | 6 | 1.2% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% |
| Egypt | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | |
| Finland | 6 | 1.2% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 6 | 1.2% | 5 | 1.0% | 6 | 1.2% |
| France | 22 | 4.4% | 22 | 4.4% | 21 | 4.2% | 21 | 4.2% | 23 | 4.5% | 23 | 4.6% | 23 | 4.6% | 22 | 4.4% |
| Germany | 42 | 8.4% | 43 | 8.6% | 40 | 8.0% | 40 | 8.0% | 41 | 8.0% | 40 | 8.0% | 40 | 8.0% | 39 | 7.8% |
| Greece | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Hong Kong | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 5 | 1.0% |
| Hungary | 2 | 0.4% | 3 | 0.6% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| India | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Iran | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| Ireland | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% |
| Israel | 6 | 1.2% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 6 | 1.2% | 7 | 1.4% | 7 | 1.4% |
| Italy | 22 | 4.4% | 23 | 4.6% | 23 | 4.6% | 23 | 4.6% | 20 | 3.9% | 22 | 4.4% | 21 | 4.2% | 22 | 4.4% |
| Japan | 36 | 7.2% | 36 | 7.2% | 34 | 6.8% | 32 | 6.4% | 33 | 6.5% | 31 | 6.2% | 31 | 6.2% | 25 | 5.0% |
| Korea | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 9 | 1.8% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 9 | 1.8% | 10 | 2.0% |
| Mexico | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| Netherlands | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% | 12 | 2.4% |
| New Zealand | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% |
| Norway | 3 | 0.6% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% |
| Poland | 3 | 0.6% | 2 | 0.4% | 3 | 0.6% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Portugal | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Russia | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Saudi Arabia | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.2% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Singapore | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Slovenia | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| South Africa | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 4 | 0.8% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.6% |
| Spain | 13 | 2.6% | 9 | 1.8% | 9 | 1.8% | 9 | 1.8% | 9 | 1.8% | 9 | 1.8% | 11 | 2.2% | 10 | 2.0% |
| Sweden | 10 | 2.0% | 10 | 2.0% | 11 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.2% |
| Switzerland | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 8 | 1.6% | 7 | 1.4% |
| Taiwan | 5 | 1.0% | 3 | 0.6% | 5 | 1.0% | 5 | 1.0% | 6 | 1.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 7 | 1.4% |
| Turkey | 2 | 0.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% |
| United Kingdom | 42 | 8.4% | 42 | 8.4% | 40 | 8.0% | 43 | 8.6% | 42 | 8.2% | 42 | 8.3% | 40 | 8.0% | 38 | 7.6% |
| United States | 161 | 32.2% | 170 | 33.9% | 168 | 33.6% | 167 | 33.4% | 166 | 32.5% | 159 | 31.6% | 152 | 30.3% | 154 | 30.8% |
| Total | 500 | 100% | 502 | 100% | 500 | 100% | 500 | 100% | 510 | 100% | 503 | 100% | 501 | 100% | 500 | 100% |
Sources: see Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai.