Top three Hong Kong universities slip down varsity rankings in Asia, but protests cannot be blamed, say compilers Quacquarelli Symonds
- Impact of unrest not reflected in 2020 analysis of top performing institutions, according to researchers
- Slight decline in standings of city’s most prestigious universities part of ‘normal annual variation’
The top three universities in Hong Kong have slipped down a league table in Asia, but researchers said the decline was probably not related to the protests gripping the city.
The rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) were released on Wednesday after Hong Kong campuses emerged as new battlegrounds for violent clashes between radical protesters and police, following months of anti-government unrest sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill.
The campus chaos has led to an exodus of students from mainland China and overseas, widespread suspension of classes, severe damage to learning facilities and the mass arrests of university-goers.
In the Asia edition of the QS World University Rankings 2020, the University of Hong Kong fell from second to third after it was overtaken by the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
The university judged to be the best in Asia is the National University of Singapore, which was ranked No 1 for a second consecutive year.