Okayama University of Science (OUS) has been included in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for the third consecutive year, placing in the 2001+ band in the
2027 edition.
Times Higher Education, a UK-based higher education publication, announced the World University Rankings 2027 on September 30. A record 2,297 universities from 118 countries and
territories were included in this year’s rankings.
OUS was ranked in the 2001+ band globally. It was the only private university in Japan’s Chugoku and Shikoku regions to be included in the rankings and was placed in the same global
ranking band as several other Japanese private universities, including Kwansei Gakuin University, Kansai University, Doshisha University, Sophia University, Meiji University, and Aoyama Gakuin University.
A total of 112 Japanese universities were included in the 2027 rankings, three fewer than in the previous year. OUS was tied for 87th among Japanese universities and tied for 26th among
private universities in Japan.
The THE World University Rankings assess universities across five areas: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry, and International Outlook.
As in previous years, OUS performed particularly well in the Industry pillar. The university believes that its wide range of research activities conducted in collaboration with industry and local communities contributed to its inclusion in the rankings for the third consecutive year.
In the 2026 edition of THE’s university rankings, OUS was also included in the World University Rankings, Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, Sustainability Impact Ratings, World University Rankings by Subject in Life Sciences and Physical Sciences, and Asia University Rankings.