By Robert White

Copyright yahoo

British universities have slid down global rankings to a 10-year low, it has emerged.

The UK has fewer than 50 universities inside the top 500 in the Times Higher Education (THE) world university rankings for the first time in a decade.

The magazine claimed that there was a “widening gap” between the research of top British universities and the rest.

It comes despite the University of Oxford retaining top spot in the rankings for a record 10th year in a row.

In total, 11 British universities featured inside the top 100 globally, but in the rankings overall, the UK is joint fourth in the list of the most represented countries, behind the United States, India and Japan.

THE analyses millions of research papers and survey data from tens of thousands of institutions to determine its rankings.

Factors include research quality, teaching standards and partnerships between universities and various industries.

On the UK’s results, THE said: “Of the 105 UK institutions to have been ranked in the past two years, 27 per cent slid down the table and just 12 per cent improved.

“Together, their average score rose by just a fraction of a point and 12 universities, including the London School of Economics and Political Science (52nd) and the University of Warwick (joint 122nd), fell to their lowest-ever positions.

“It is also the first time that the number of UK universities in the global top 500 has dipped below 50; it is now 49.

“In the UK overall, the gap is widening between the quality of top research, which continues to improve, and average research, which is declining.

“The country also has lower average scores for its proportion of international staff and student-staff ratio this year. These are all areas at risk of further decline as a result of the current funding crisis in UK higher education.”

THE added that the University of Oxford’s unprecedented 10th year at the top of the rankings was driven by its strong “research environment” score, based on the volume, income and reputation of academic papers.

Alongside Oxford in the top 10 is the University of Cambridge, which rose to joint third from fifth place in the 2025 list, and Imperial College London in eighth.

The remaining seven places are occupied by US-based universities, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second, Princeton in joint-third, and Harvard and Stanford in joint-fifth.

‘Achievement reflects dedication’

Prof Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, celebrated the achievement by praising the commitment of academics, staff and students.

She said: “We are honoured that Oxford has been ranked number one globally by Times Higher Education for the tenth year in a row.

“The rankings, rooted in internationally competitive research and teaching excellence, are recognised worldwide as a vigorous and demanding benchmark of university performance.

“This achievement reflects the dedication of our academics, professional services staff and students, but it comes at a time of real strain for UK higher education.

“Sustaining a dynamic and globally competitive sector requires renewed investment and support, so that universities can continue to drive discovery, opportunity and economic growth for future generations.”