European and Asian universities are challenging the US dominance by advancing up in the ranking. The "Times Higher Education-QS World University Ranking 2009" shows that the number of Asian Universities in the top 100 has increased from 14 to 16. The University of Tokyo, in 22nd place, has the highest ranking of any Asian university.

The University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are listed in the top 50. Harvard University in the US remains number one in the world for the sixth year running. And the UK's University of Cambridge is now second, pushing Yale University into third place.