City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has achieved outstanding results in the 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings, placing 3rd in Hong Kong and 47th among more than 2,600 universities across over 100 countries and regions - a rise of 7 places from last year.
For specific subjects, CityUHK ranks among the global top 10 in five science subjects and is No. 1 in Hong Kong, including Materials Science, Physical Chemistry, Condensed Matter Physics, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and Optics. For Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, CityUHK is also ranked best among Hong Kong universities and placed among the global top 25.
| Subject | 2026 Ranking | |
| U.S. News & World Report, Best Global Universities Rankings, by subject | ||
| Materials Science | 5 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Physical Chemistry | 6 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Condensed Matter Physics | 7 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | 8 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Optics | 9 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Chemical Engineering | 22 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
| Chemistry | 23 (Best in Hong Kong) | |
Among the 13 ranking indicators, CityUHK ranked among the global top 50 in three categories. Notably, CityUHK performed exceptionally well in U.S. News & World Report’s indicator measuring the “Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited”, ranking 7th worldwide, reflecting the strong global impact of its research output.
Moreover, CityUHK is now ranked 52nd globally in the newly released Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2027, among more than 1,500 ranked institutions. Within the top 3% of the world’s elite universities, CityUHK is the only university in Hong Kong to rank among the global top three in the core indicator of Citations per Faculty.
Last but not least, in the latest “2026 Research Leaders: Leading Institutions” rankings released by the Nature Index, CityUHK was ranked 67th globally, 2nd in Hong Kong and 41st in Asia. The “2026 Research Leaders: Leading Institutions” ranked universities, research organisations, government departments and corporations worldwide based on their article count and share in over 170 leading journals and publications in the natural sciences and health sciences from 1 January to 31 December 2025. These prestigious journals include Nature, Science and The Lancet.
These encouraging rankings highlight the University’s excellence in teaching and research, further strengthening its leading position in the global higher education landscape and underscoring its unwavering commitment to research excellence.