Kuala Lumpur:Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) has advanced in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, now placed in the 801-1,000 bracket globally, an improvement from its previous position in the 1,001-1,200 range in 2026.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, UniSZA has retained its 10th position among 19 public universities in Malaysia in the THE World University Rankings 2027, which evaluated 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories.

UniSZA's Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Fadzli Adam, attributed the improved ranking to higher scores in four out of THE's five key assessment areas, notably in research, teaching, and international outlook. He emphasized that the advancement is a testament to the collective efforts of the university community and reflects positive progress in their institutional development strategies.

Dr Fadzli further stated that despite this achievement, the university remains focused on enhancing its ecosystem, particularly in academic and teaching quality, high-impact research, internationalization, strategic networks, industry ties, and societal contributions. He stressed that rankings serve as a benchmark for assessing performance and should lead to improvements in quality and innovation beyond mere competition for rankings.

The vice-chancellor expressed optimism for continued progress and highlighted that international rankings, while not the ultimate objective, are useful tools for benchmarking the university's performance against global standards. This performance in the THE World University Rankings 2027 is seen as a catalyst for UniSZA to further strengthen its strategies and aim for excellence and impact at both national and international levels.