Most Vietnamese universities slip in global rankings

Nine Vietnamese universities made the QS World University Rankings 2027 released this week, though most experienced a drop in their standings, including national leaders Duy Tan University and Ton Duc Thang University.

Released on Thursday by the higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the table features one fewer Vietnamese representative than last year.

Duy Tan University remains the country's highest-ranked institution, despite slipping 22 places to 504th globally. Ton Duc Thang University saw the steepest decline, tumbling more than 100 places into the 801-850 bracket.

Further down the list, Can Tho University and the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City also fell, shifting from the 1,201-1,400 group down to the 1,401+ category.

Only two Vietnamese universities managed to improve their standing. Vietnam National University, Hanoi rose from the 761-770 band to 751-760, securing its spot as the country's second-highest-ranked school. Hanoi University of Science and Technology recorded the largest leap, climbing from the 1,201-1,400 bracket up to the 1,001-1,200 range.

Rank in Vietnam

University

QS 2026

QS 2027

1

Duy Tan University

482

504

2

Vietnam National University, Hanoi

761-770

751-760

3

Ton Duc Thang University

684

801-850

4

Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City

801-850

801-850

5

Hanoi University of Science and Technology

1,201-1,400

1,001-1,200

6

Van Lang University

1,001-1,200

1,001-1,200

7

Can Tho University

1,201-1,400

1,401+

8

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology

Not ranked

1,401+

9

Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City

1,201-1,400

1,401+

The overall roster of Vietnamese schools also saw some changes. Hue University and the University of Da Nang dropped off this year's rankings entirely, while the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology made its debut, entering the table in the 1,401+ category.

This downward trend mirrors results from earlier this year, when 11 Vietnamese institutions appeared in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings. Most of those schools also recorded declines, including top national performer University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City.

QS is one of the world's four major university ranking organizations, alongside THE, Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). This year, QS evaluated over 1,500 institutions, welcoming 90 new entrants from 40 countries and territories.

Among the ten evaluation indicators, "academic reputation" carried the most weight at 30% of the overall score, followed by "citations per faculty" at 20%.

The campus of Duy Tan University in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the university

Other criteria, weighted between 5% and 15%, include employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, internationalization, international research networks, employment outcomes, and sustainability.

Globally, around 400 universities improved their rankings. Institutions that gained ground generally strengthened their research performance and sustainability scores. China saw the highest absolute number of universities moving up the table, while Azerbaijan boasted the highest proportion of improving schools at 89%.

At the pinnacle, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the number one spot for the 15th consecutive year. The rest of the global top five remained unchanged from last year, with Imperial College London, Stanford University, the University of Oxford, and Harvard University rounding out the list.