US universities slip in global rankings as China boosts investment

U.S. universities have lost ground in global rankings as China expands STEM graduate production and research output. American schools in the QS top 100 fell from 31 to 26 over 10 years. Times Higher Education still ranks seven U.S. universities among the top 10, but the smallest number ever reached the top 500. Chinese universities hold seven of 10 Leiden Rankings spots; Harvard dropped from first to third. China produces nearly 50 percent more STEM Ph.D.s yearly than the U.S., per NSF, doubling that output in the 15 years ending 2022 while U.S. STEM Ph.D.s rose 41 percent. Chinese researchers wrote 28 percent of English-language AI articles from 2018-2023 versus 16 percent by U.S. scholars; NSF says American work is still cited more often. International students once brought in more than $40 billion a year; education is the sixth-largest U.S. services export. After a June American Academy of Arts and Sciences panel, Eric Mlyn of Duke said many issues threaten America's global standing. Phil Baty of Times Higher said rankings symbolize geopolitical strength and slow diminution could spark a serious downward spiral; he said it feels like a tipping point, with next rankings due Sept. 30. Reporting ties acceleration to Trump administration research-funding cuts that caused layoffs, plus student restrictions and speech limits, atop enrollment declines, high costs and public mistrust. Courts restored many initial cuts while agencies slowed new grants; some elite U.S. schools still rank near the top.