China’s Zhejiang University tops Harvard in Nature Index world academic rankings
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- Zhejiang University has surpassed Harvard University to become the world's top academic institution in the 2026 Nature Index.
- Chinese institutions now dominate the top 10, with nine universities listed, marking a significant shift in global academic rankings.
- This is the first time Harvard has relinquished its leading position since the index began in 2014.
Zhejiang University in China has achieved the top spot in the 2026 Nature Index, unseating Harvard University for the first time since the rankings began in 2014. This marks a significant shift in global academic standing, with Chinese institutions now heavily represented at the top.
The latest index reveals that nine of the top 10 academic institutions worldwide are now based in China, an increase from eight in the previous year's rankings. Among the top 20 institutions, China boasts 17, with Stanford University ranked 12th and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 17th.
Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, remains the highest-ranked American institution in the overall list. The dominance of Chinese universities in the Nature Index highlights a growing trend in global higher education and research.
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Originally published by South China Morning Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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