University rankings are not knowledge, they are a business.

The world’s oldest and most authoritative university rankings include US News, QS, and Times. So, which one is more reliable? Unfortunately, all three have clear biases.

One, Link to heading

Times and QS used to work together on university rankings, but later split due to the profitability of the venture. The Times ranking clearly favors British universities, with the top two spots always taken by them and Harvard University deliberately placed in sixth place. Although the factors considered in the Times ranking appear comprehensive, the results are somewhat questionable and the official website is indeed filled with many recruitment advertisements.

The QS official website has a fair share of advertisements, and their rankings seem to be more favorable in recent years. In the top 10, there are 4 British universities that stand out. In the past two years, QS has placed Imperial College London (ICL) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) ahead of Yale and Princeton, which feels a bit odd. Chinese universities are ranking higher and higher, and it seems that QS is doing better and better business.

The Best Global University Ranking by US News is purely based on academic indicators, such as the number of research papers published and citations received. The quality of education, student satisfaction, and alumni popularity do not carry any weight in these rankings. Consequently, universities with a strong presence in research fields like biology and technology tend to rank higher. It is amusing that US News ranked Tsinghua University as the top global university for engineering and computer science based solely on the number of research papers it published. This made those unfamiliar with the ranking system proud, but caused a collective sigh from insiders.

The rankings of the two rising stars, ARWU and CWUR, seem much more pleasing to me personally. However, there are also some strange things that seem odd, such as CWUR ranking the quality of education at Tsinghua University at 403 in the world.

There are many aspects of the supposedly reasonable weighted scoring system that do not seem convincing, and there may be hidden secrets behind it. However, speaking of which, what should be the college ranking in everyone’s mind?

Two, Link to heading

Jin took a unique approach to consider this problem, using internet thinking to calculate the world rankings by evaluating the traffic and design of each school’s official website. Although this approach may seem somewhat absurd, it contains several compelling logics:

Respecting the official website of one’s university is what makes a good university. Especially in the internet age, whether it’s for application or academic publication, the official website is the most important medium.

Although the official website appears to be simple, the management and updating of a vast amount of data in the background, as well as the art design that embodies its history and tradition, are by no means achieved overnight.

The ultimate ranking should be based on reputation. But what is reputation? Reputation is the combination of years of teaching and research honors and reputation, which ultimately converges into internet traffic.

Regarding internet rankings, Web metrics is a serious field of study, and the parameter of web influence (Web Impact Factor) is something worth delving into.

The CSIC in Spain provides valuable and noteworthy data. For instance, academic rankings based on Google Scholar’s citation count are very objective, so the Top-10 below mostly meets expectations, except for UCSD.

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It is worth mentioning that the performance of the top two universities in China in this overall academic ranking is still not good: Tsinghua University ranked 112th, and Peking University ranked 199th.

If the citation data for the top 10% papers listed on SCImago is taken into account, Tsinghua University suddenly jumps to the 9th place. This may indicate that although the overall academic quality of Tsinghua is mediocre, the outstanding papers are also excellent.

The drawback of such rankings is that they are unfair to smaller scale (less published) schools and to third world universities that possess good reputation despite average academic performance. Therefore, I have given up on academic rankings.

Three, Link to heading

Does the reputation of a university have to be related to academia? Not necessarily. How would you rank institutions like the Foreign Affairs College and the Music College? Since it’s a global ranking, it needs to have a bit of a world flavor. For instance, Zhejiang University and Nanjing University are impressive, but have 1.3 billion Indians heard of them? Have 200 million Brazilians heard of them?

The ultimate decision is to keep it simple, scoring based on the independent website access number, where 100,000 Unique Visitors per month equals 1 point.

The question is which website’s statistics should be used as reference? After comparison, we have chosen SimilarWeb’s latest data.

Since it’s called the Jin’s Ranking, let’s add a fun factor of 10 and subjectively rate the website’s design and feel on a scale of 1 to 10: 1 being the ugliest and 10 being the most beautiful.

Here are the ranking results. It is worth noting that, unlike other rankings, some well-known universities in the third world have appeared on the list for the first time, and well-regarded universities from often overlooked small European countries have also significantly increased.

Although you may not have heard of these universities, they are well-known locally. This is a truly unbiased ranking that reflects the global popularity of universities, free of any financial motives.

Ranking University Country and region Traffic Score Design Score Total Score
1 哈佛大学 美国 195.4 8 203.4
Harvard University USA 195.4 203.4
2 麻省理工学院 美国 151.7 5 156.7
Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States 151.7 156.7
3 斯坦福大学 美国 112 7 119
Stanford University United States 112 119
4 墨西哥国立自治大学 墨西哥 93.68 6 99.68
National Autonomous University of Mexico Mexico 93.68 99.68
5 宾州大学 美国 84.78 4 88.78
Pennsylvania State University United States 84.78 88.78
6 圣保罗大学 巴西 79.37 7 86.37
University of São Paulo Brazil 79.37 86.37
7 康奈尔大学 美国 76.04 7 83.04
Cornell University. United States 76.04 83.04
8 加州大学伯克利分校 美国 62.02 6 68.02
University of California, Berkeley United States 62.02 68.02
9 密歇根大学 美国 49.64 6 55.64
University of Michigan. United States 49.64 55.64
10 威斯康星大学 美国 46.67 6 52.67
University of Wisconsin United States 46.67 52.67
11 哥伦比亚大学 美国 46.06 6 52.06
Columbia University United States. 46.06 52.06
12 华盛顿大学 美国 42.2 6 48.2
University of Washington United States 42.2 48.2
13 牛津大学 英国 41.58 6 47.58
University of Oxford. United Kingdom 41.58 47.58
14 普度大学 美国 41.39 6 47.39
Pudu University United States 41.39 47.39
15 宾夕法尼亚大学 美国 38.97 6 44.97
University of Pennsylvania United States 38.97 44.97
16 得克萨斯大学 美国 35.69 7 42.69
University of Texas United States 35.69 42.69
17 加州大学洛杉矶分校 美国 38.77 3 41.77
University of California, Los Angeles United States 38.77 41.77
18 普林斯顿大学 美国 35.68 6 41.68
Princeton University. United States 35.68 41.68
19 耶鲁大学 美国 34.95 6 40.95
Yale University United States 34.95 40.95
20 明尼苏达大学 美国 35.83 5 40.83
University of Minnesota United States 35.83 40.83
21 卡内基梅隆大学 美国 34 6 40
Carnegie Mellon University United States. 34 40
22 伊利诺伊大学 美国 34.46 4 38.46
University of Illinois United States 34.46 38.46
23 剑桥大学 英国 33.16 6 39.16
University of Cambridge England 33.16 39.16
24 安纳托鲁大学 土耳其 31.82 6 37.82
Anatolu University Turkey 31.82 37.82
25 纽约大学 美国 33.81 3 36.81
New York University United States 33.81 36.81
26 佛罗里达大学 美国 31.04 5 36.04
University of Florida United States 31.04 36.04
27 不列颠哥伦比亚大学 加拿大 29.7 6 35.7
University of British Columbia Canada 29.7 35.7
28 南加州大学 美国 31.08 3 34.08
University of Southern California United States 31.08 34.08
29 南大河州联邦大学 巴西 29.92 4 33.92
Nandahezhou Federal University. Brazil 29.92 33.92
30 智利大学 智利 28.71 5 33.71
University of Chile Chile 28.71 33.71
31 加州大学圣迭戈分校 美国 28.66 5 33.66
University of California, San Diego United States 28.66 33.66
32 芝加哥大学 美国 27.62 6 33.62
University of Chicago United States of America 27.62 33.62
33 多伦多大学 加拿大 27.21 6 33.21
University of Toronto Canada 27.21 33.21
34 密歇根州立大学 美国 28.13 5 33.13
Michigan State University United States 28.13 33.13
35 波士顿大学 美国 26.68 6 32.68
Boston University United States of America. 26.68 32.68
36 亚利桑那州立大学 美国 27.46 5 32.46
Arizona State University United States 27.46 32.46
37 约翰霍普金斯大学 美国 24.41 8 32.41
Johns Hopkins University United States 24.41 32.41
38 北卡大学教堂山分校 美国 26.17 6 32.17
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill United States 26.17 32.17
39 犹他大学 美国 27.75 4 31.75
Utah State University United States 27.75 31.75
40 伦敦大学学院 英国 24.2 6 30.2
University College London United Kingdom 24.2 30.2
41 加州大学尔湾分校 美国 22.86 7 29.86
University of California, Irvine United States 22.86 29.86
42 杜克大学 美国 22.57 7 29.57
Duke University United States 22.57 29.57
43 西北大学 美国 23.29 6 29.29
Northwest University United States 23.29 29.29
44 圣卡塔琳娜州联邦大学 巴西 25.94 3 28.94
Santa Catarina Federal University Brazil 25.94 28.94
45 德州农工大学 美国 23.94 5 28.94
Texas A&M University United States 23.94 28.94
46 印尼安纳大学 美国 22.84 6 28.84
University of Indonesia United States 22.84 28.84
47 加州理工学院 美国 22.69 6 28.69
California Institute of Technology United States 22.69 28.69
48 苏黎世联邦理工学院 瑞士 25.47 3 28.47
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Switzerland 25.47 28.47
49 纽约城市大学 美国 21.77 6 27.77
City University of New York (CUNY) United States 21.77 27.77
50 加州大学戴维斯分校 美国 21.4 6 27.4
University of California, Davis United States 21.4 27.4
51 布宜诺斯艾利斯大学 阿根廷 26.37 1 27.37
University of Buenos Aires Argentina 26.37 27.37
52 马里兰大学 美国 19.97 7 26.97
University of Maryland United States 19.97 26.97
53 罗切斯特大学 美国 23.81 3 26.81
Rochester University United States 23.81 26.81
54 加查马达大学 印度尼西亚 19.71 7 26.71
Jigme Namgyel Engineering College Indonesia 19.71 26.71
55 俄亥俄州立大学 美国 21.23 5 26.23
Ohio State University United States 21.23 26.23
56 台湾大学 中国台湾 23.8 2 25.8
National Taiwan University Taiwan, China 23.8 25.8
57 哥伦比亚国立大学 哥伦比亚 20.34 5 25.34
National University of Colombia Colombia 20.34 25.34
58 亚利桑那大学 美国 18.72 6 24.72
Arizona State University United States 18.72 24.72
59 爱丁堡大学 英国 19.57 5 24.57
The University of Edinburgh. United Kingdom 19.57 24.57
60 科罗拉多大学 美国 19.49 5 24.49
University of Colorado United States 19.49 24.49
61 西部州长大学 美国 19.34 5 24.34
Western Governors University United States 19.34 24.34
62 弗吉尼亚大学 美国 18.98 5 23.98
University of Virginia United States 18.98 23.98
63 东京大学 日本 16.77 7 23.77
The University of Tokyo Japan 16.77 23.77
64 清华大学 中国 20.76 3 23.76
Tsinghua University China 20.76 23.76
65 佐治亚州立大学 美国 18.55 5 23.55
Georgia State University United States 18.55 23.55
66 米纳斯联邦大学 巴西 18.29 5 23.29
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Federal University of Minas Gerais) Brazil 18.29 23.29
67 庆应大学 日本 14.78 8 22.78
Keio University Japan 14.78 22.78
68 印度尼西亚大学 印度尼西亚 17.69 5 22.69
Universitas Indonesia Indonesia 17.69 22.69
69 罗格斯大学 美国 17.51 5 22.51
Rutgers University United States 17.51 22.51
70 麦吉尔大学 加拿大 19.41 3 22.41
McGill University Canada 19.41 22.41
71 加州大学旧金山分校 美国 17.38 5 22.38
University of California, San Francisco United States. 17.38 22.38
72 英迪拉甘地大学 印度 19.18 3 22.18
Indira Gandhi University India 19.18 22.18
73 巴塞罗那大学 西班牙 19.16 3 22.16
Barcelona University Spain 19.16 22.16
74 圣保罗州立大学 巴西 17 5 22
Sao Paulo State University Brazil 17 22:00
75 里约联邦大学 巴西 18.6 3 21.6
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Brazil 18.6 21.6
76 匹兹堡大学 美国 17.1 4 21.1
University of Pittsburgh United States 17.1 21.10
77 墨尔本大学 澳大利亚 15.04 6 21.04
University of Melbourne Australia 15th of April 21.04
78 新加坡大学 新加坡 14.98 6 20.98
National University of Singapore Singapore 14.98 20.98
79 佐治亚理工学院 美国 15.79 5 20.79
Georgia Institute of Technology United States 15.79 20.79
80 德里大学 印度 18.77 2 20.77
University of Delhi India 18.77 20.77
81 夏威夷大学 美国 15.55 5 20.55
University of Hawaii United States 15.55 20.55
82 博洛尼亚大学 意大利 14.53 6 20.53
University of Bologna Italy. 14.53 20.53
83 香港中文大学 中国香港 16.7 3 19.7
The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong, China 16.7 19.7
84 莫斯科大学 俄罗斯 16.54 3 19.54
Moscow University Russia 16.54 19.54
85 滑铁卢大学 加拿大 14.48 5 19.48
University of Waterloo. Canada 14.48 19.48
86 弗吉尼亚理工学院 美国 14.34 5 19.34
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University United States 14.34 19.34
87 南洋理工大学 新加坡 13.03 6 19.03
Nanyang Technological University. Singapore This is a date in the format of DD.MM. 19.03
88 新南威尔士大学 澳大利亚 15.8 3 18.8
The University of New South Wales Australia 15.8 18.8
89 保利斯塔大学 巴西 17.67 1 18.67
Polytechnic University of Bari Brazil 17.67 18.67
90 莫那什大学 澳大利亚 12.49 6 18.49
Mona University Australia 12.49 18.49
91 柏林大学 德国 11.43 7 18.43
Berlin University Germany 11.43 11:43
92 京都大学 日本 12.41 6 18.41
Kyoto University Japan 12.41 18.41
93 西门菲莎大学 加拿大 11.35 7 18.35
Simon Fraser University Canada 11.35 18.35
94 维也纳大学 奥地利 11.12 7 18.12
University of Vienna Austria 11.12 18.12
95 慕尼黑大学 德国 14.04 4 18.04
University of Munich Germany 14.04 18.04
96 海德堡大学 德国 11 7 18
Heidelberg University. Germany 11 18
97 瓜达拉哈拉大学 墨西哥 13.98 4 17.98
University of Guadalajara Mexico 13.98 17.98
98 帝国理工大学 英国 12.15 5 17.15
Imperial College London UK 12.15 17.15
99 慕尼黑技术大学 德国 12.07 5 17.07
Technical University of Munich Germany 12.07 17.07
100 华威大学 英国 11.82 5 16.82
University of Warwick England 11.82 16.82
101 奥斯陆大学 挪威 13.6 3 16.6
University of Oslo Norway 13.6 16.6
102 汉堡大学 德国 9.19 7 16.19
Hamburg University Germany 9.19 16.19
103 代尔夫特理工大学 荷兰 9.07 7 16.07
Delft University of Technology Netherlands 9.07 16.07
104 阿姆斯特丹大学 荷兰 9.87 6 15.87
University of Amsterdam Netherlands 9.87 15.87
105 北京大学 中国 13.83 2 15.83
Peking University China 13.83 15.83
106 凤凰城大学 美国 12.71 3 15.71
Phoenix University United States 12.71 15.71
107 鲁汶大学 比利时 9.68 6 15.68
KU Leuven Belgium 9.68 15.68
108 乌特勒支大学 荷兰 9.57 6 15.57
Utrecht University Netherlands 9.57 15.57
109 悉尼大学 澳大利亚 10.4 5 15.4
The University of Sydney Australia 10:40 15.4
110 上海交通大学 中国 12.2 3 15.2
Shanghai Jiao Tong University China 12.2 15.2
111 香港大学 中国香港 12.09 3 15.09
The University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong, China 12.09 15.09
112 格罗宁根大学 荷兰 9.07 6 15.07
University of Groningen Netherlands 9.07 15.07
113 哥本哈根大学 丹麦 8.06 7 15.06
University of Copenhagen Denmark 8.06 15.06
114 日内瓦大学 瑞士 8.95 6 14.95
University of Geneva Switzerland. 8.95 14.95
115 浙江大学 中国 12.94 2 14.94
Zhejiang University. China 12.94 14.94
116 赫尔辛基大学 芬兰 9.78 5 14.78
University of Helsinki. Finland 9.78 14.78
117 南非大学 南非 9.59 5 14.59
South African university. South Africa 9.59 14.59
118 跟特大学 比利时 9.33 5 14.33
Ghent University Belgium 9.33 14.33
119 罗马大学 意大利 8.31 6 14.31
Roman University Italy 8.31 14.31
120 印度理工学院孟买分校 印度 8.03 6 14.03
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay India 8.03 14.03
121 苏黎世大学 瑞士 9.06 4 13.06
University of Zurich Switzerland 9.06 13.06
122 开普敦大学 南非 7.06 6 13.06
University of Cape Town South Africa. 7.06 13.06
123 特拉维夫大学 以色列 8.01 5 13.01
Tel Aviv University Israel 8.01 13.01
124 香港科技大学 中国香港 5.66 7 12.66
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong, China 5.66 12.66
125 普纳大学 印度 10.56 2 12.56
Pune University India 10.56 12.56
126 中国科技大学 中国 11.48 1 12.48
University of Science and Technology of China China 11.48 12.48
127 乌普萨拉大学 瑞典 7.46 5 12.46
Uppsala University Sweden 7.46 12.46
128 佐治亚大学系统 美国 5.4 6 11.4
University System of Georgia United States 5.4 11.4
129 大阪大学 日本 8.32 3 11.32
Osaka University Japan 8.32 11.32
130 南京大学 中国 7.44 3 10.44
Nanjing University China 7.44 10.44
131 复旦大学 中国 7.27 3 10.27
Fudan University China 7.27 10.27