Dhaka University Climbs 100 Spots in Times Higher Education Asia Rankings

The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2026, released on Thursday, April 23, have placed the University of Dhaka (DU) and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) at the top of the national list. In a significant shift from previous years, DU has made a remarkable leap to secure the joint first position in Bangladesh alongside BUET. This 14th edition of the rankings assessed 929 universities from 36 countries across Asia, reflecting a comprehensive look at the continent‍‍`s evolving educational landscape. A total of 28 universities from Bangladesh, including public and private institutions, found a place in this year‍‍`s rankings.

According to the latest data, both DU and BUET are positioned within the 301-350 band in Asia. While no institution from Bangladesh managed to break into the top 300, the progress of Dhaka University is being hailed as a major milestone. In the 2025 rankings, Dhaka University held a significantly lower position, placed 10th nationally and within the 401-500 range in Asia. This jump of approximately 100 spots is attributed to a renewed focus on research quality and international collaboration, signaling a positive trajectory for the country‍‍`s oldest university.

Detailed performance metrics reveal that the University of Dhaka improved its scores across several key indicators. Its overall score rose to the 38.3-40.1 range, up from 31.5-34.3 the previous year. The research environment score increased from 12.0 to 15.7, while research quality saw a substantial surge from 58.8 to 74.3. Additionally, the industry-academia collaboration score rose from 21.4 to 33.2. These figures suggest that the university is successfully bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical industrial application, a criterion that carries significant weight in THE‍‍`s methodology.

Following the top two, Daffodil International University (DIU) and North South University (NSU) secured their positions in the 351-400 band, ranking third and fourth nationally. Other notable institutions such as Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Jahangirnagar University, and Jashore University of Science and Technology were placed in the 401-500 category. The 501-600 band includes BRAC University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), and Rajshahi University.

On a broader Asian scale, Chinese universities continued to dominate the upper tiers of the list. Tsinghua University maintained its top spot for the seventh consecutive year, followed by Peking University in second place. The National University of Singapore occupied the third position, while Nanyang Technological University and the University of Tokyo shared the fourth spot. Despite the regional dominance of China, the inclusion of 28 Bangladeshi institutions—an increase from the 24 featured last year—indicates a growing presence of Bangladesh on the Asian educational map. Vice-Chancellor Professor ABM Obaidul Islam expressed that this success is a result of collective dedication and a research-driven academic strategy.