Times Higher Education (THE) on Thursday published the seventh annual Global University Employability Ranking, revealing a strong performance by institutions from Chinese universities.
In total, China has improved its performance this year with 15 institutions in the ranking, one more compared to last year, in which Hong Kong University of Science and Technology leads in 12th place and Peking University ranked in 14th place.
The California Institute of Technology takes the top spot for the second in a row. The United States dominates the ranking with 35 institutions listed in it with seven institutions in the top 10. Britain has declined in this employability ranking amid rising Brexit concerns.
Asian universities perform strongly overall, with Tokyo University producing the most employable graduates from that region and ranked in 9th place.
This ranking in this context is part of a broader survey on employability and higher education commissioned every year for six years by HR consultancy Emerging and conducted by the polling institute trendence.
The research is drawn from 6,000 recruitment managers from large international companies. It shows that U.S. universities still hold sway over employers in general but that Asian universities are becoming more reputable in terms of their graduate's reputations.
Simon Baker, data editor of THE, said the ranking shows how a focus on university-industry links bears fruit for many universities and nations and may explain why institutions from countries in continental Europe are holding their places, or even moving up the table, while others, like those in Britain, are struggling.
Commenting on Asia's performance, Baker said Asian universities have again seen gains, with more universities from the region becoming household names in the minds of global graduate recruiters.
"It is clear from the survey results that many Asian universities are leading in producing graduates with exactly the skills firms are looking for as they attempt to gain ground in the digital revolution," he said, adding that some institutions in the region are also recognising the importance of instilling soft skills such as teamwork in their students, and offering them the strongest possible links with industry before they graduate.
THE is one of the world's most authoritative source of data, analysis and information about higher education. An essential resource for academics and professionals working in higher education, as well as students and their families, THE was founded in 1971 and has been online since 1995, publishing news, opinion and the World University Rankings.
