KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian universities improved their standings, but none joined the top 200 list of the Times Higher Education-QS Quacquarelli Symonds World University rankings for 2008

It is understood, that Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia improved their standing, while apex-status Universiti Sains Malaysia dropped in the world ranking.

UM acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Muhamad Rasad Muhamad, when contacted yesterday, said the country's oldest university moved up from 246 last year to 230.

UPM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Nik Mustapha Raja Abdullah said the university was ranked 320, up from 364.

UKM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin said the university was ranked 250 from 309 last year.
USM deputy Vice Chancellor (academic and international affairs) Professor Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal said the university had dropped from 307th spot but he was not able to confirm the current standing.

On Monday, the THE-QS website will release the rankings of those below the top 200.

The rankings are compiled based on six distinct indicators -- academic peer and employers' reviews, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, proportion of international faculty and international students


Saturday, October 11, 2008, 12.29 PM .