Eight Local Universities Slide Down in Latest QS Asia University Rankings

Sri Lankan Institutions Lose Ground in Regional Academic Standing

Eight Sri Lankan universities have recorded a decline in their positions in the latest QS Asia University Rankings, raising fresh concerns about the country's higher education sector and its competitiveness across the Asian region.

The rankings, published by global higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), assess universities across Asia based on a range of indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, research output, and international outlook.

A Troubling Trend for Local Academia

The downward movement of eight Sri Lankan institutions signals a broader challenge facing the country's state university system, which has long grappled with issues such as inadequate funding, faculty shortages, and limited international research collaboration.

While the rankings reflect the relative performance of universities against a highly competitive field of Asian institutions — many of which have significantly increased investment in research and infrastructure — the decline of multiple Sri Lankan universities in a single cycle is a development that education policymakers cannot afford to overlook.

What the Rankings Measure

QS evaluates universities across Asia using the following key criteria:

• Academic peer reputation
• Employer reputation and graduate employability
• Research citations and output per faculty member
• International faculty and student diversity
• Staff with doctoral qualifications
• Inbound and outbound student exchange programmes

Calls for Urgent Reform

Education stakeholders and academics have repeatedly called on the government to increase budgetary allocations for state universities, improve research infrastructure, and foster stronger ties with international academic institutions. Sri Lanka currently allocates a relatively modest share of its GDP to higher education, a factor widely cited as contributing to the country's struggle to keep pace with regional peers.

Countries such as China, India, South Korea, and Malaysia have made substantial strides in the QS Asia Rankings in recent years, driven by sustained government investment and public-private partnerships in the university sector.

The Road Ahead

For Sri Lankan universities to reverse this trend, experts argue that a coordinated national strategy is essential — one that prioritises research excellence, attracts qualified academic talent, and creates meaningful pathways for international collaboration.

The latest rankings serve as a timely reminder that quality higher education requires consistent investment and reform, and that without decisive action, Sri Lanka risks falling further behind in an increasingly competitive regional academic landscape.