The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027 is set to feature a record 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories, marking a four per cent increase from the 2,191 institutions included in the 2026 edition.

THE announced that the 2027 rankings will be released on September 30, 2026, with Albania and Malawi making their debut in the global rankings. Ethiopia is also set to return after last appearing in the 2025 edition.

The United States remains the country with the highest number of ranked universities, with 168 institutions, followed by India with 143. Turkey has moved into third position with 124 universities, ahead of Japan with 112 and the United Kingdom with 110.

According to THE, the increase reflects growing participation in its global ranking system, which evaluates research-intensive universities that meet its specified eligibility requirements.

The 2027 edition will introduce a more detailed ranking structure, with universities receiving individual positions up to 300, compared with 200 in the previous edition. Institutions beyond the top 300 will subsequently be placed in narrower ranking bands ranging from 25 to 200 positions.

THE said the new structure will provide universities and stakeholders with greater detail for international benchmarking.

Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at THE, said the 2027 edition would be more inclusive and diverse, while the expanded ranking bands would offer greater insight into the relative performance of participating universities.

To qualify for the 2027 rankings, a university must teach undergraduates, undertake research across a range of subjects and have produced at least 1,000 research publications between 2021 and 2025, including a minimum of 100 publications in each year.

THE added that data gathered for the rankings would also contribute to its 2027 Subject Rankings, Interdisciplinary Science Rankings and other regional and thematic assessments.

The publication of the THE World University Rankings 2027 on September 30 is expected to provide a fresh global comparison of universities and further highlight changing patterns in international higher education.