QS World University Rankings

QS World University Rankings relies on subjective reputation surveys for 60% of its total score, with 40% from academic opinions and 20% from employer feedback, allowing well-branded institutions to dominate. For example, a mid-tier university with strong branding can surpass higher-research-output peers by up to 25 places, as seen in 2025 where a London-based institution placed 38th despite publishing 40% fewer cited papers than a German rival. This bias makes QS 1.5 times more reputation-dependent than the U.S. News ranking.