"Harvard Drops from 1st to 3rd: American Universities Falter as China Claims 7 of Top 10 Spots"

'Leiden Ranking' Based on Academic Publications
Zhejiang University Takes Top Spot, Seven of Top Ten Are Chinese
Impact of U.S. Administration's Research Funding Cuts and Other Policies

The status of American universities is faltering. In the global university rankings based on academic publications, Harvard University has dropped from first to third place, while Zhejiang University in China has risen to first, with Chinese universities occupying seven out of the top ten spots. In particular, there are concerns that the pressure policies initiated by President Donald Trump since last year could accelerate the weakening competitiveness of American universities.

According to the New York Times on January 15 (local time), Harvard University fell from first to third place in the "Leiden Ranking (2025)," which is based on the volume of published academic papers. In the global rankings, Harvard had maintained the top position for 13 consecutive years since rankings began in 2012. Notably, Harvard is producing far more research output than it did 20 years ago, yet its ranking has slipped. However, it still holds the top spot in the science paper category, a metric that reflects citation impact. The Leiden Ranking, published by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University in the Netherlands, evaluates universities' research performance primarily based on publication volume and also indicates research impact through citation metrics.

Currently, Harvard is the only American university remaining in the top ranks of this list. In the early 2000s, seven out of the top ten universities in the world by academic publication volume were American institutions. Major universities such as Harvard, the University of Michigan, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Johns Hopkins University, the University of Washington Seattle, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University were all included among the top ranks. At that time, Zhejiang University was the only Chinese institution within the top 25. However, Zhejiang University now holds the number one spot in the Leiden Ranking. In addition, seven Chinese universities are now included in the top ten.

The rise of Chinese universities is also prominent in other university rankings that emphasize scientific research performance. In the University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP), compiled by the Informatics Institute of Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, Harvard University ranked first globally, but Stanford University was the only other American university in the top ten. In contrast, four Chinese universities made the list. Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education, a UK-based university evaluation agency, commented, "A new world order is forming around global leadership in higher education and research."

This relative decline in the status of American universities is also linked to the policy direction of the Trump administration. Since taking office, the Trump administration has implemented federal research funding cuts, travel restrictions, and stricter anti-immigration enforcement. As a result, the number of international students entering the United States in August last year decreased by 19% compared to the previous year. The New York Times noted that while President Trump's policies have not directly triggered the relative decline of American universities, they may accelerate this trend.