Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released its Asia University Rankings 2027 on November 3, with 33 Vietnamese universities making the list, the highest number recorded for the country.

The figure represents an increase of eight institutions compared with the previous edition, reflecting broader Vietnamese representation in the regional rankings.

The eight newcomers are National Economics University, Thai Nguyen University, Dong Nai Technology University, Lac Hong University, Nam Can Tho University, University of Finance and Marketing, Thang Long University and Vinh Long University of Technology Education.

Vietnam National University, Hanoi retained its position as the country's highest-ranked institution, placing 159th in Asia, down one position from the previous year.

Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City was the only other Vietnamese institution in the top 200, ranking 182nd, seven places lower than in 2026.

Duy Tan University ranked 210th, falling 45 places from its previous position of 165th.

Although most Vietnamese universities declined in the rankings, several institutions recorded notable improvements.

Phenikaa University made one of the biggest advances, climbing from the 951-1000 band to 697th place.

Thuyloi University also improved substantially, moving from the 1001-1100 band to the 731-740 range.

Hanoi University of Science and Technology rose from 315th to joint 276th, while Foreign Trade University improved from 580th to joint 562nd.

Ho Chi Minh City Open University also advanced from the 721-730 band to joint 667th.

Hong Kong and mainland Chinese universities dominate Asia's top 10

Across the region, universities in mainland China and Hong Kong accounted for eight of the top 10 positions in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027.

The University of Hong Kong ranked first, followed by Peking University in second place and Tsinghua University in third.

City University of Hong Kong placed fourth, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong ranked fifth.

Fudan University shared sixth place, while the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University were both listed in joint ninth place.

Singapore had two institutions in the top 10.

The National University of Singapore shared sixth place, while Nanyang Technological University ranked eighth.

Academic reputation remains the most influential criterion

The QS Asia University Rankings 2027 included more than 1,500 participating universities across the region.

Institutions were evaluated using a range of indicators, including academic reputation, citations per paper, faculty-to-student ratio, international research networks and internationalization.

The indicators carried different weightings, ranging from 2.5% to 30%, with academic reputation accounting for the largest share.

Vietnam's record representation highlights the growing number of domestic institutions participating in regional university assessments.

However, the decline in rankings experienced by many established universities also underscores the increasingly competitive landscape of Asian higher education.

Thuy Nga