UM stands third in Southeast Asia, only after the National University of Singapore and Nayang Technological University.

The Malaysian school, founded in 1905 and operates as a public research institution funded by the Malaysian government, has steadily climbed the rankings over the years, jumping from the 351-400 band in 2023.

Malaysia has 29 entrants ranked this year, up from 27 last year. Universiti Teknologi Petronas followed UM in second place nationally, ranking 242nd worldwide.

UM Vice-Chancellor Noor Azuan Abu Osman said the achievement demonstrates that a Malaysian university can compete with leading global institutions.

"This achievement belongs to our entire community — and it sends a clear and unyielding message that a Malaysian university can stand among the world's leading institutions when ambition is matched by discipline, talent and collective purpose," Osman said in a statement on the university's website.

"Recognition must translate into responsibility. We will use this momentum to push harder, aim higher and ensure that Malaysia's premier university continues to create value for the nation while making its mark on the world," he added.

Graduates at a commencement ceremony at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dec. 8, 2025. Photo from the university's Facebook page

UM's strongest areas in the 2027 rankings include international outlook and research quality.

Its high score in international outlook reflects an increasingly global academic environment and extensive collaborations that attract students and scholars worldwide.

Its performance in research quality underscores the reach and influence of research produced by UM scholars, including strong citation impact.

The THE 2027 rankings, released last week, include 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories.

Universities in the U.S. and U.K. continue to dominate overall.

The University of Oxford retained first place for the 11th consecutive year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Princeton and Stanford tied for third, while the University of Cambridge ranked fifth.

However, Asian institutions are gaining momentum, with three universities entering the global top 15 for the first time.

China's Tsinghua University ranked 11th, Peking University placed 13th, and the National University of Singapore took 15th.

This marks the highest-ever positions for both Tsinghua and NUS.

The region's leading institutions failed to improve their standings in the 2026 edition.