Eight Lankan universities slip in QS Asia rankings

Eight out of the twelve Sri Lankan universities featured in the latest QS Asia University Rankings have experienced a decline in their positions, with the University of Colombo facing the most significant drop. According to QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the University of Colombo slid 46 places to claim the 364th spot in Asia, yet it maintained its top ranking among Sri Lankan universities for the fifth consecutive year.

The University of Peradeniya and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura secured the 389th and 398th positions, respectively.

Notably, the University of Moratuwa made a significant leap up the rankings, climbing 37 places to reach the 517th position. The University of Kelaniya also saw an improvement, advancing 44 places to the 687th spot. The University of Colombo was the sole Sri Lankan institution to make the Asia top 200 list in the Employer Reputation category, securing the 192nd position.

QS attributed the drop in rankings of several Sri Lankan universities to increased competition among Asian universities, with nearly 200 new universities joining this year's rankings. Additionally, a decline in the Employer Reputation indicator, which gauges employers' perceptions of graduates, negatively impacted the rankings of the Universities of Colombo and Sri Jayewardenepura.

QS's rankings encompass various factors, such as the proportion of academic staff with doctoral degrees, student-to-faculty ratios, and employer reputation.

QS cautioned against interpreting a decline in ranking as an indication of deteriorating education quality, as changes in regional competition can also influence a university's position.