The Most Respected University in the World is...

A new list that ranks universities based purely on global reputation has placed Harvard at the top.

The American university beat off competition from MIT (also in the US), and the University of Cambridge in England, which came second and third respectively.

The list was compiled by the Times Higher Education magazine, and is based on the views of 13,000 academics from around the world. It is therefore unique in the fact that it ranks universities only on their reputation rather than how they have performed.

US Universities

Seven of the top 10 universities on the list are located in the United States, making the country the first choice for those seeking a high-level education. The good news is that many of these American universities now offer their programs online, so students do not have to relocate to the USA to enroll in the country's schools.

Depending on the student's career choice, he or she can take courses from a top university without having to leave home, giving the student the opportunity to earn a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

UK Universities

Alongside Cambridge, there are four other British universities in the top 50, with Oxford placing in 6th, Imperial in 11th, UCL in 19th, LSE in 37th and Edinburgh 45th.

In response to Cambridge’s high placing, the president of the University's students' union, Rahul Mansigani, said:

"Reputation makes a huge difference. If there is a perception that somewhere is brilliant, it will get lots of good people applying whether it's true or not".

Similarly, Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, emphasised that: "In an ever more competitive global market... a university's reputation for academic excellence is crucial."

Below, you can see the top 10 in the world, or you can find the full list here.

The Top 10

1. Harvard (US)
2. MIT (US)
3. Cambridge (UK)
4. California, Berkeley (US)
5. Stanford (US)
6. Oxford (UK)
7. Princeton (US)
8. Tokyo (Japan)
9. Yale (US)
10. California Institute of Technology (US)

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