2026 rankings show the rise of Asian institutions, while Europe and the US keep fighting for the top

News Tank covered ten rankings related to higher education institutions in the first half of 2026, with some confirming previous trends, while others saw surprising newcomers climb to the top, notably from Asia and Latin America.

The year started with the Times Higher Education (THE) ranking by subject, where Asian universities entered the top 10 for the first time, challenging the traditional dominance by US and European institutions in the yearly ranking of universities in 11 subject areas.

"East Asia is making significant strides forward at the top of the tables, demonstrating the region’s growing strength in competing at the very highest levels," THE said.

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, higher education institutions from the US came in first place in 37 disciplines out of 55, up from 32 in 2025. However, China is the second most represented country behind the US in terms of the number of institutions ranked in total, with 158 compared to the US' 228. Both countries increased their numbers compared to 2025.

For business schools and executive education, the year…