Data science, AI slip as 53% of Hong Kong’s university subjects fall in QS rankings
EdU entered the global top 10 for the first time.
Photo: Handout Hong Kong’s universities have recorded their sharpest declines in three years in global subject rankings, with more than half of the 266 offerings – including data science and AI – slipping down their respective tables, according to a UK-based education analyst.
Despite the overall drop, dentistry at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) remained second in the world – the city’s highest-ranked subject – while performing arts at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) regained its 10th place and education at the Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) entered the global top 10 for the first time.
According to the 2026 annual subject rankings released on Wednesday by British firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on Wednesday, 140 out of 266 – or 53 per cent – of academic offerings in the city’s universities fell in the rankings, while fewer than a quarter improved.
The last time a greater proportion of subjects dropped in the rankings was in 2023, when 67 per cent recorded declines.
QS senior vice-president Ben Sowter said competitive pressures were intensifying as other regions continue to strengthen.
But he said that Hong Kong remained one of Asia’s most competitive higher education systems, distinguished not by scale but by its concentration of excellence, noting that strong fundamentals positioned the city as “a leading regional and global study destination.” “With just 10 ranked institutions, it delivers one global top-three position, five top-10 entries, 16 top-20 placements, and 85 top-50 appearances – a level of performance many far larger systems struggle to achieve,” he said. “Some 56 per cent of its numerically ranked entries place in the global top 50, a ratio matched in Asia only by Singapore.
Hong Kong does not compete on volume; it competes on intensity,” he added.
HKAPA’s performing arts shot up from 20th to 10th place.
Photo: Elson Li Notably, data science and artificial intelligence (AI) in local universities saw gradual declines in rankings over the last three years since the subjects were added to the QS list in 2024.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology dropped from 10th in 2024 to 17th in 2025 and 25th this year while Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) declined from 19th to 28th over the past year.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong were both ranked in the top 50 last year but slipped to the 51-100 band this year.
原文链接: 南华早报