Singapore and Malaysia Lead the Largest AppliedEdu ASEAN Rankings to Date

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Sunway University have been named ASEAN's No. 1 public and private universities, respectively, in the AppliedEdu University Rankings 2027 for ASEAN. NUS leads the public university rankings for the third consecutive year, while Sunway University retains the private university top spot for the fourth consecutive year.

Malaysia claims seven of the top ten private university positions and five of the top ten public university positions. It also has more institutions in the top 50 of each category than any other country, with 21 private and 16 public universities.

The 2027 edition is the most comprehensive assessment of Southeast Asian higher education AppliedEdu has ever published. A total of 316 universities across nine ASEAN countries have been ranked, up by a third from 237 last year. More than 100,000 validated student survey responses inform the results, alongside academic peer nominations and verified institutional data.

The results were announced in conjunction with AppliedEduXChange 2026, which brought together more than 150 university leaders under the theme "Beyond Skills: Building Employable, Industry-Ready Graduates".

"Being named ASEAN's No. 1 private university for the fourth consecutive year is a proud moment for Sunway University and for Malaysia. Our ambition is for every graduate to leave with the knowledge, confidence and experience to build a meaningful career and contribute positively to society. That is what being a mission-driven 5^th Generation University means to us. This recognition drives us to keep raising the standard of the education we offer," said Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President and Vice-Chancellor of Sunway University.

What distinguishes the AppliedEdu rankings

The AppliedEdu approach gives greatest weight to teaching and learning, which accounts for 40% of the assessment. Employability contributes a further 20% for private universities and 15% for public universities. Together, these measures represent 60% and 55% of the respective scores, making the quality of education and graduate student outcomes central to the results.

Students directly inform the assessment through their views on teaching, facilities and campus life. Public and private universities are ranked separately, using different weightings to reflect their missions. Research, institutional reputation, community engagement and internationalisation complete the assessment, recognising a range of contributions that universities make to students and society.

"Rankings should do more than recognise achievement; they should drive improvement," said Mandy Mok, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppliedEdu. "They should help universities build on their strengths, identify where change is needed, and make informed decisions that deliver better outcomes for students and the communities they serve."

Leading universities and biggest rises across ASEAN

Singapore. The National University of Singapore retains ASEAN's No. 1 public university position for the third consecutive year, followed by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in second place. Four of the country's five ranked universities feature in the top 50.

Malaysia. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia is the country's highest-ranked public university, placing third in ASEAN. Among private universities, Sunway University retains its regional No. 1 position, while Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation climbs from fifth to second. Taylor's University and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS rank third and fourth, respectively.

Indonesia. With 102 institutions, Indonesia has the largest representation in the rankings. Universitas Airlangga leads the country's public universities at tenth in ASEAN, while Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta climbs 22 places to 61st. Among private universities, Bina Nusantara University (BINUS) leads the country, rising from eighth to fifth regionally. Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang records the largest rise across both categories, climbing 53 places to 57th. Muhammadiyah University of Sidoarjo advances 39 places to 37th, while Institut Teknologi Nasional Bandung rises 27 places, both in the private university rankings.

The Philippines. With 79 ranked institutions, the Philippines has the second-largest national representation. The University of the Philippines leads the country's public universities at 25th in ASEAN. Among private universities, the University of Santo Tomas leads the country, climbing six places from 14th to eighth regionally. First City Providential College also advances 27 places in the private university rankings.

Thailand. Thailand has 43 institutions in the rankings. Chulalongkorn University leads the country's public universities at ninth in ASEAN, with 11 Thai institutions featuring in the public top 50. Krirk University is the country's highest-ranked private university, placing seventh regionally.

Vietnam. Vietnam's public universities record strong gains. The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City leads the country's public universities at 33rd in ASEAN after climbing 23 places. Ton Duc Thang University advances 27 places to 34th, while Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City rises 22 places to 44th. Among private universities, Duy Tan University leads the country at 14th regionally, while Nguyen Tat Thanh University climbs 30 places to 26th.

Brunei. Universiti Brunei Darussalam remains the country's highest-ranked public university and returns to ASEAN's public university top ten, climbing from 12th to eighth.

Cambodia. The University of Puthisastra is the country's highest-ranked private university, placing 28th in ASEAN.

Myanmar. The University of Yangon is the country's highest-ranked public university, placing in the 101–110 band in ASEAN.

Across the region, 23 universities enter the top 100 for the first time. They include Indonesia's Universitas Brawijaya at 36th among public universities, Thailand's Shinawatra University at 21st among private universities and Malaysia's IMU University at 25th among private universities.

The AppliedEdu University Rankings 2027 for ALL ASIA will follow on 30 November 2026. Full ASEAN results are available at appliededu.com/rankings.

How the rankings are made

The ASEAN rankings weigh six criteria: Teaching & Learning (40%), Employability (15% public, 20% private), Research (15% public, 10% private), Institutional Reputation, Community Engagement and Internationalisation (10% each). Public and private universities are never ranked together: each has its own methodology and weights, reflecting the different missions they serve.

Two surveys sit at the heart of the method. The AppliedEdu Student Survey 2026 gathered the views of students on their teaching, facilities and campus life, with more than 100,000 responses validated and counted across the universities that took part. The AppliedEdu Peer-Nomination Survey asks academics which universities they hold in the highest regard, with every university's academics weighted equally and nominations of one's own institution excluded.

A record number of universities submitted a full set of verified institutional data through the AppliedEdu VAULT and took part in both surveys, the highest level of participation in the rankings' history. The rankings are overseen by the independent AppliedEdu Ranking Advisory Board and have been published since 2021.

The first 100 places in each table are ranked individually; places from 101 are listed in bands of ten, alphabetically. The full tables are at appliededu.com/rankings and the methodology at appliededu.com/rankings/methodology.

SOURCE Sunway University