LONDON, September 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

http://TopUniversities.com/Rankings2013 #QSWUR

MIT beats Harvard and Cambridge to retain the top spot in the tenth annual QS World University Rankings.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130909/638188 )

The US takes 11 of the top 20 positions, but its dominance has eroded since the financial crisis. Of the 83 US universities in the top 400, 64 rank lower than in 2007/8.

The 43 US public universities in the top 400 have lost an average of 20 places since 2007/8, following successive government funding cuts.

In contrast, 70% of the 62 Asian institutions in the top 400 rank higher than in 2007, yet still no Asian institution in the top 20.

Global highlights:

• International student intake up 9% at top 100 universities
• US takes top 10 places for research citations
• Record survey responses: 62,094 academics and 27,957 employers
• 800+ universities ranked

Regional highlights:

• UK: Four institutions in top 10; Oxford and Cambridge 1^st and 2^nd for employer reputation
• Australia: Melbourne (31^st) catching up with ANU (27^th)
• Asia: National University of Singapore (24^th) overtakes University of Hong Kong (26^th)
• Canada: Toronto (17^th) overtakes McGill (21^st)
• Continental Europe: ETH Zurich (12^th) and EPFL Lausanne (19^th=) lead as nine of region's top 10 maintain or improve position
• Nordic Countries: University of Copenhagen (45^th) leads as twenty rise
• Latin America: Universidade de São Paulo (127^th) leads, nine of region's top ten rise
• Africa/ME: 33 in top 800, led by King Fahd University (216^th)

Global Top Ten

    2013  2012   Institution
    1     1      MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY  US
    2     3      HARVARD UNIVERSITY                     US
    3     2      UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE                GB
    4     4      UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON              GB
    5     6      IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON                GB
    6     5      UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD                   GB
    7     15     STANFORD UNIVERSITY                    US
    8     7      YALE UNIVERSITY                        US
    9     8      UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO                  US
    10=   10     CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY     US
    10=   9      PRINCETON UNIVERSITY                   US

©QS Quacquarelli Symonds http://TopUniversities.com/Rankings2013

Researchers say austerity measures in the wake of the recession have contributed to an "affordability crisis" for students at leading institutions.

Average annual undergraduate tuition fees in the top 10 are up to a record high of around US$34,000^[1], nearly double the 2007 average of $18,500.

"The decline in affordable publicly funded education and the increasing dominance of private institutions means many students may now risk being priced out of a world-class education," says QS head of research Ben Sowter.

^[1] Excludes financial aid and additional costs.

SOURCE QS Quacquarelli Symonds