Johor Bahru, 8 June 2017: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia improved its performance and leaped 35 places to 253rd in the QS World University Rankings 2017/2018. UTM is among the top 26% in the QS World University Rankings and this achievement has placed UTM in good stead as one of the top 1% of universities in the world.
Based on the six performance indicators assessed, UTM made improvements in almost all categories and gained the highest points in the faculty student indicator. This notable performance is largely attributed to the strong commitment by UTM faculty members to provide the best support in facilitating students’ learning experience, while harnessing potential talents among students to strive for excellence.
UTM is also set to engage in more impactful research collaborations that can ultimately lead to improved performance through joint publications and increased citations. At the same time, UTM will continue its efforts in enhancing research collaborations with partners across the globe especially in areas of mutual interests. This would help UTM researchers to leap forward and stay relevant and visible among peers at the global level. It is also crucial in developing talents with the right capacity in research and publications. Benefits to universities range from opportunities to work on impactful research outcomes that would bring positive impact to society and community well being.
At the same time, by engaging with strategic partners, there will be more opportunities to gain access to specialised research facilities and open up potential channels for research fundings.
It is worth noting that although rankings are useful for benchmarking, they should neither be viewed as the only measure of excellence, nor should they dictate how a university should move forward.
What is more important is to focus on the fundamentals of quality education, enhancing academic and research capacity and instilling a strong mindset and culture for improved reputation at the global level. This is what UTM will continue to strive for to reach greater heights.