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UCL breaks into top 15 in global Uni rankings

Watch out Oxbridge here we come


UCL has been ranked as the 14th best university in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019.

Rising two places from last year and putting UCL in the top 15 universities in the world.

Oxford and Cambridge continue to dominate the rankings, with Oxford coming first for the third year in a row.

UCL's scores improved across the board with the biggest increase seen in teaching.

UCL's ascension into the top 15 has drawn a lot of attention. The majority of the other UK universities' rankings either stagnated or declined.

The editor of the rankings, Phil Baty, commented that "We see some individual stars in the UK this year – but the broader national data story is really one of stagnation and modest decline."

This trend in results led to the UK, for first time in the rankings' history, to being displaced as the second most represented nation in the rankings.

Japan claimed a 103 positions in the rankings as compared to the UK's 98.

Japan is now the second most represented nation, only the USA has more universities listed in the rankings.

The growing presence of Japan's universities in the rankings reflects the wider trend of the growing importance and influence of Asia's universities.

Another example of Asia's growing dominance is that King's was overtaken by the University of Hong Kong.

Currently, experts can only speculate on the connection between the UK's disappointing results and Brexit.

However, Phil Baty stresses that the threat Brexit poses the UK institution's reputation is very real.

UK universities currently have a large number of EU staff and students and also receive EU funding for research.

Mr. Baty stated that "maintaining world-class excellence amid cuts and creeping isolationism is simply unsustainable."