The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 was released by Quacquarelli Symonds on March 12. According to the rankings, universities in the Chinese mainland secured 1,230 subject placements, ranking third globally, following the United States and the United Kingdom.

The rankings analyzed over 1,700 universities across 100 countries and regions, covering 55 academic disciplines. An impressive 60 percent (735) of the subjects from Chinese mainland universities have improved their standings.

Universities in Shanghai performed particularly well, with Fudan University leading among Chinese institutions with 46 subjects featured. The university placed in the top 100 across all five major academic fields: humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology, and medical sciences. Its engineering and technology disciplines have made significant strides, all breaking into the global top 100, with computer science and information systems ranking 39th, chemical engineering 32nd, and data science 49th worldwide.

According to the rankings, materials science is a standout discipline for China, with 66 universities included, three of which are in the world's top 20. Art history also emerged as a strong field, with two universities in the global top 10. Tsinghua University ranked third globally in this discipline, while Shanghai's Tongji University secured the eighth position.

Source: Shanghai Observer