Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inEleanor BusbyWednesday 30 September 2026 13:35 BSTThe Radcliffe Camera building at Oxford University (AFP/Getty)The University of Oxford has secured the top spot in the Times Higher Education world rankings for a record eleventh consecutive year.The University of Cambridge dropped to fifth place while Imperial College London held eighth, with 25 UK institutions making the top 200.Experts warned that financial pressures in the UK higher education sector are beginning to harm research quality and global standing.US universities dominated the top 10 with seven places, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology taking second place.Asian institutions made notable gains, with China's Tsinghua University reaching 11th place amid a historic shift in global academic power.In fullOxford named top university for eleventh year but US dominates top 10More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in