The University of Oxford has been placed on the top of this year's Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Pushing five-time champion, the California Institute of Technology into second place, the British institute brought the country on the first place, a confidence booster after the horrors of the Brexit.
The list came mere weeks after the QS World University Rankings highlighted the challenges posed by the post-Brexit uncertainty and long term funding issues. Education Secretary Justine Greening said it was "fantastic" to see a UK university top THE's world rankings for the first time. She said, "We want to see this success continue and provide real opportunities for students up and down the country. That is why we are reforming higher education to make sure it delivers the quality teaching and skills students and employers expect. We are also looking at proposals to require universities to open or sponsor schools to help create more great school places and ensure every child can fulfil their potential."
The UK took 91 of the top 980 places, with the University of Cambridge and the Imperial College London also making it in the top 10. Despite topping the list, Oxford's vice-chancellor Louise Richardson issued a fair warning. "If our academics cannot secure funding for their research, they will move elsewhere. We, frankly, do not have the resources to commensurate with our global position," she said. The comments came after some of the UK's top universities reported facing issues working with their European partners. "We are also more tightly regulated than many of our global competitors. I've seen no evidence to suggest all these regulations improve the quality of what we do, and yet they are a major distraction of time and resources," Louise said.
