Oxford University named world’s top university for the 7th consecutive year

12 October 2022: The University of Oxford has been named the best university in the world for a record seventh consecutive year in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023.

The rankings, announced at the THE World Academic Summit in New York, rate more than 1,600 universities from around 100 countries globally. The ratings consider 13 calibrated performance indicators, measuring each institution’s performance in five areas: teaching (learning environment); research (volume, income and reputation); citation (research influence); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer). Oxford University excelled in all areas and in particular strongly stood out in its international outlook compared to close peers in the United States.

Oxford is the first university to have ever retained its place for seven years in a row under the THE’s current methodological framework, which was put in place in 2010/11. The University’s success comes shortly after it also came first in the The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023. It is the first University to top both the Times Higher Education and the Times rankings simultaneously.

Oxford’s ranking was welcomed at the summit by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Louise Richardson, who has seen the University top the Times Higher Education rankings annually throughout her seven-year tenure.

Professor Richardson said: ‘My colleagues and I are absolutely delighted that for the seventh consecutive year Oxford has been named the top university in the world. I am very grateful to those who work on compiling these rankings which prove so helpful to universities. Above all, I am indebted to the extraordinary women and men of Oxford whose research and teaching continues to excite our imaginations, broaden our horizons, cure disease and explore deeply difficult problems for the betterment of society. I am so proud to be associated with them.’

Oxford was followed in the world rankings by Harvard University and University of Cambridge jointly with Stanford University which placed second and third, respectively.