Four Thailand universities in top 100 of QS.com Asian university rankings

Mahidol University is the highest (30) ranked university in Thailand, followed by Chulalongkorn University (35), Chiang Mai University (81) and Thammasat University (85). Nunzio Quacquarelli, Managing Director of QS says: "The results of the QS.com Asian University Rankings focus on regionally relevant measures of excellence, with the top performing universities distinguished not only by quality, but also by high productivity of research, compared to their regional peers.

"Universities in Thailand have performed well, with strong faculty: student ratios. These results, combined with those of the Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings, place Thailand's universities on the world scale for quality higher education."

Top Asian universities in the QS.com Asian University Rankings:

1. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

3. University of Tokyo, Japan

4. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

5. Kyoto University, Japan

6. Osaka University, Japan

7. KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, South Korea

8. Seoul National University, South Korea

9. Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan

10. National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore and Peking University, China

Ben Sowter, Head of Research at QS says the advantage of regional rankings is in the richer picture we can create when comparing universities at a regional rather than global level, through the inclusion of additional factors.

"For example, countries with a first language other than English, use student exchanges as a key approach to internationalization, which is reflected in the QS.com Asian University Rankings.

"These adjustments have had an inevitable influence on the results, the position of institutions in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore was to be expected, but the stronger performance of South Korean institutions in contrast to the world rankings suggests a strength known in the region that has yet to be fully acknowledged globally," he said.

-- The Nation May 12, 2009

For those of you who haven't been paying attention - Mahidol University is without a doubt the top Thai university. They have made huge strides and its been fun to work here, and see the progress.

Just compare the websites, and it becomes quite obvious, lol.

so who cares if you work for mahidol? i dont....

so who cares if you work for mahidol? i dont....

Thanks for pissing on my rainbow, Dragon!

It seems that different sites give different rankings,

http://stang.sc.mahidol.ac.th/text/ranking.htm

That puts Mahidol at number 4.

Another site has Chula as Number one, followed by Khon Kaen.

For those of you who haven't been paying attention - Mahidol University is without a doubt the top Thai university. They have made huge strides and its been fun to work here, and see the progress.

Just compare the websites, and it becomes quite obvious, lol.

I couldn't agree less...

This survey is meaningless. We know very little about their criterea, standards, check mechanisms, etc.

Chula Arts faculty is clearly the top in the country followed by some Thammasat faculties - Mahidol has nothing to compare, even though it's a decent Uni in Thailand's top 10 for sure (I'd rank it at 4 or 5 overall). The faculties within Thai Uni's vary hugely, for example Mahidol Sayaya's international program is miles behind Thammasat's equivilent (I doubt if 10% of the Mahidol student's could pass the Thammasat entrance test [which is ridiculously tough]).

Chula, Thammasat, Silpakorn, Kasesart, CM, KK, Ram (open) and Mahidol all have some decent faculties, and are respected by Thai employers. I don't think any are respected by Honk Kong, Singaporean, European, US or Japanese employers.

LawnGnome, take the above with a pinch of salt, and please answer: I've heard that Mahidol is a crap place to work, for foreigners (nine til five every week day... yuck!). Any thoughts (because I've heard it a lot, and met many demotivated Mahidol teachers)?

Just compare the websites, and it becomes quite obvious, lol.

And there lies the problem with these rankings, they normally place a large emphasis on websites and statistical data. Instead of the real quality of the tuition.

I relatively new to Bangkok (3years, don't speak Thai etc) and I recently read (in BK magazine) about Master degrees - taught in English - at Thai Universities; how would people say the Asian University Ranking relates specifically to such courses? For example Thammasat's higher course fee for MBAs doesn't seem to be reflected in their rankings. Do these rankings refer to the entire scope of every Uni? Are there different rankings for Master degree courses?

any info/advice appreciated

Chula Arts faculty is clearly the top in the country followed by some Thammasat faculties - Mahidol has nothing to compare, even though it's a decent Uni in Thailand's top 10 for sure (I'd rank it at 4 or 5 overall). The faculties within Thai Uni's vary hugely, for example Mahidol Sayaya's international program is miles behind Thammasat's equivilent (I doubt if 10% of the Mahidol student's could pass the Thammasat entrance test [which is ridiculously tough]).

Exactly right, Mahidol does do very well in medicine, perhaps the best in the country. The other faculties are also good, but, there are better programs on offer at other unis for Arts, Liberal Arts, Business and Economics degrees.

For example Thammasat's higher course fee for MBAs doesn't seem to be reflected in their rankings. Do these rankings refer to the entire scope of every Uni?

The rankings are based on pretty much meaningless data. Internet bandwidth, enrollment numbers etc.... Pretty much no real life data is ever used. A large emphasis is also placed on research, which is another reason why Mahidol gets a good rating.

Thammasat's MBA program is one of the best in South East Asia, along with Chula's. Chula often charges double for foreign students at BA level however, although I am not sure if that is the case on the MBA program.

I relatively new to Bangkok (3years, don't speak Thai etc) and I recently read (in BK magazine) about Master degrees - taught in English - at Thai Universities; how would people say the Asian University Ranking relates specifically to such courses? For example Thammasat's higher course fee for MBAs doesn't seem to be reflected in their rankings. Do these rankings refer to the entire scope of every Uni? Are there different rankings for Master degree courses?

any info/advice appreciated

Whenever I meet an exceptional Thai student / business person I ask them where they studied - a very high percentage answer that they studied their MA at Thammasat. Also, working (four years ago) for a big Thai corporation dominated by Chula graduates (all had MA's at this level) the couple of people that came out of Thammasat were outstanding.

My feeling is that Chula Arts is No1 for BA. Thammasat is exceptional at MA level (and a close No2 at BA level).

I worked in International business for a couple of decades, and if I was recruiting here then I'd be most interested in Thammasat MA graduates.

I only ever heard one direct report about Mahidol from a visiting Western professor. It was all negative, and probably atypical.