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The QS World University Rankings 2027 have been released, with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) retaining its position as India's highest-ranked institution and achieving the country's best-ever performance in the prestigious global rankings. IIT Delhi climbed five places from last year to secure the 118th position worldwide, reinforcing India's growing presence in international higher education rankings.

The latest ranking marks a significant milestone for Indian higher education. IIT Delhi's 118th position equals the highest rank ever attained by an Indian institution in the QS rankings, a benchmark first achieved by IIT Bombay in the 2025 edition. The improvement reflects IIT Delhi's continued progress in areas such as academic reputation, employer recognition, research impact and international engagement.

Meanwhile, IIT Bombay, which previously held the distinction of being India's highest-ranked university, slipped to the 134th position from 129th last year. The institute had also witnessed a decline in the previous edition of the rankings, highlighting the increasingly competitive nature of global university assessments.

At the global level, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) continued its extraordinary dominance by securing the number one position for the 15th consecutive year. The achievement further cements MIT's reputation as one of the world's most influential centres for science, technology, engineering and innovation.

The rankings are published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a leading international higher education analytics and rankings agency. The QS methodology evaluates universities across several indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, research citations, international faculty representation and international student diversity.

This year's rankings once again highlighted the strong presence of universities from the United States and the United Kingdom, which dominated the top positions globally. The five highest-ranked universities in the world are:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
2. Imperial College London, United Kingdom
3. Stanford University, United States
4. University of Oxford, United Kingdom
5. Harvard University, United States

MIT's continued success is attributed to its exceptional performance across multiple indicators, particularly academic reputation, faculty-student ratio and research citations. The institution is widely recognised for fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary research while producing graduates who occupy leadership positions across industries worldwide.

Beyond the overall rankings, MIT demonstrated remarkable subject-wise excellence. The university secured the top global position in 12 academic disciplines, including Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Structural Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, Statistics, Linguistics, Materials Science, and Engineering and Technology.

The institution also ranked second globally in seven other disciplines, including Architecture, History of Art, Biological Sciences, Economics, Marketing and Natural Sciences. Such consistent performance across both STEM and non-STEM fields reflects the breadth of MIT's academic strength and research capabilities.

For India, IIT Delhi's continued rise in the QS rankings signals the growing global recognition of Indian institutions. As universities increasingly focus on research quality, international collaborations and academic excellence, the latest rankings underscore both the progress made and the opportunities ahead for Indian higher education on the global stage.

More than 38,000 students worldwide have benefited from the SEA BEYOND project, an ocean literacy initiative launched in 2019 by the Prada Group in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. The programme aims to deepen understanding of the ocean and promote sustainable behaviours among younger generations through education, science, culture and community engagement.

Implemented by the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, the project has significantly exceeded its original goals. While it initially aimed to reach 10,000 students, participation has grown to more than 38,000 learners ranging from kindergarten children to secondary school students.

Expanding Ocean Literacy Worldwide

A major achievement of the initiative has been the rapid growth of the Global Blue School Network, which now includes approximately 8,000 schools across 72 countries, far surpassing the original target of 1,400 schools.

The programme integrates ocean-related themes into educational curricula, helping students understand the connections between marine ecosystems, climate change, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

A notable milestone came when Brazil became the first nation to adopt the Blue Curriculum at a national level, embedding ocean literacy into formal education.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The initiative also promotes hands-on environmental education. Through the Kindergarten of the Lagoon programme in Venice, more than 300 preschool children have explored and learned directly from the lagoon ecosystem surrounding their city.

In 2025, the SEA BEYOND Ocean Literacy Centre was inaugurated in Venice, creating a permanent hub for students, researchers and local communities to engage with marine education and sustainability issues.

The project has additionally organised three Ocean & Climate Villages, travelling science exhibitions that examine the links between oceans and climate systems across Europe and Asia.

Influencing Global Policy

Beyond education, SEA BEYOND has contributed to international policy discussions through the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action, a document containing ten recommendations designed to strengthen the relationship between humanity and the ocean. The declaration is now available in 17 languages.

The initiative also helped secure a landmark achievement when Ocean Literacy was included for the first time in the political declaration of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, held in Nice in June 2025.

Conservation and Community Projects

SEA BEYOND supports several environmental and educational partnerships worldwide, including collaboration with Coral Gardeners, which focuses on coral reef restoration in French Polynesia, Fiji and Thailand. The initiative has helped cultivate nearly 74,000 corals and transplant more than 7,900 coral colonies across 127 species.

Other partnerships include work with Bibliothèques Sans Frontières to improve access to ocean education in vulnerable communities and cooperation with Ca’ Foscari University Foundation on the “Follow the Ice” project, which studies glaciers and preserves ice core samples for long-term scientific research.

A Model for Global Replication

Over seven years, SEA BEYOND has developed educational resources, policy frameworks and community engagement models that UNESCO believes can be adapted worldwide. The organisation is now encouraging member states, UNESCO schools, UNESCO Chairs, Biosphere Reserves and Geoparks to replicate successful aspects of the programme.

Looking ahead, UNESCO and the Prada Group are expanding the initiative through the SEA BEYOND Multi-Partner Trust Fund, designed to attract new partners and resources to strengthen ocean education and conservation efforts globally.

The programme reflects a growing international recognition that improving ocean literacy among young people is essential to achieving long-term sustainability goals, protecting marine ecosystems and fostering climate resilience in coastal communities worldwide.

A new self-paced online course, “Voices from the Coast: Communities, Resilience and the Blue Economy,” has been launched to examine how coastal communities are adapting to environmental, social and economic challenges. Drawing on case studies from Angola, Chile, Jamaica and Portugal, the programme highlights community-led approaches to sustainability, resilience and coastal development.

The course arrives at a time when coastal regions worldwide are facing mounting pressures from climate change, ecosystem degradation and rising sea levels. More than 40 per cent of the global population lives within 100 kilometres of the coast, while over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.

Understanding the Blue Economy

The course explores the concept of the Blue Economy, which seeks to balance ocean-based economic activities with environmental sustainability, community wellbeing and the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems.

Unlike many programmes that focus primarily on policy frameworks and economic sectors, “Voices from the Coast” places communities at the centre of the discussion. Through local stories, practical examples and lived experiences, participants will examine how coastal populations respond to change while protecting cultural heritage, sustaining livelihoods and strengthening resilience.

Community-Centred Learning

Designed as a five-hour self-paced programme, the course combines storytelling, short videos, reflection exercises and case studies from diverse coastal settings.

Participants will engage with three core modules:

• Understanding the Blue Economy
• Protecting Coasts and Building Resilience
• Local Opportunities for Community Wellbeing

The curriculum explores environmental and social challenges affecting coastal communities while encouraging learners to analyse community-led solutions and the role of participation, inclusion, youth engagement and gender equality in sustainable development.

Facilitator’s Guide for Community Engagement

To support learning beyond the online platform, the initiative also includes a Facilitator’s Guide aimed at educators, community leaders, youth organisations and civil society groups.

The guide offers practical tools for organising discussions, workshops and participatory learning activities in both online and offline settings. Drawing on examples from Angola, Chile, Jamaica and Portugal, it encourages dialogue, intergenerational learning and the sharing of local knowledge rather than prescribing uniform solutions.

Supporting Global Sustainability Goals

The course contributes to broader discussions around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 5: Gender Equality.

By highlighting local knowledge, community action and inclusive participation, the programme seeks to foster critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving while demonstrating how coastal communities are shaping sustainable futures through resilience and innovation.

The initiative underscores a growing recognition that effective responses to environmental and social challenges often emerge from community experiences, local leadership and collective action at the grassroots level.

Ibis Academy of Higher Education has announced the expansion of its academic presence across major metropolitan cities and emerging urban centres in India, alongside the launch of a new Global Business Administration (GBA) programme aimed at graduates seeking careers in management and business leadership.

The institution said the expansion is part of its broader strategy to strengthen access to industry-focused professional education and continuing learning opportunities. As part of the initiative, the academy is introducing new programmes designed to align academic learning with evolving workplace requirements.

The newly launched Global Business Administration programme is a one-year management course that combines training in four key business domains—operations, finance, human resources and marketing. According to the institution, the curriculum incorporates artificial intelligence-enabled learning modules, industry-led sessions and practical exposure to contemporary business practices.

Open to graduates from diverse academic backgrounds, the programme seeks to provide multidisciplinary management training and develop skills related to leadership, decision-making and business strategy. The academy said the course has been designed to reflect international business education standards and emerging industry requirements.

Ibis Academy currently offers more than 20 diploma and postgraduate diploma programmes across sectors including logistics and supply chain management, hospital administration, aviation, banking and finance, human resource management, data science, artificial intelligence and digital marketing.

The institution stated that it operates multiple campuses and provides both online and offline learning options to students. It also highlighted collaborations with skill development and training bodies, including its association with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

The expansion comes at a time when India's higher education and skilling sectors are increasingly focusing on employability, industry integration and flexible learning pathways. With employers seeking candidates equipped with practical and technology-driven skills, institutions are introducing specialised programmes aimed at bridging the gap between academic qualifications and workforce demands.

Admissions for the latest batch of the Global Business Administration programme are currently open, according to the academy.

The Global Business School and Research Centre (GBSRC), a constituent institution of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, has formally received membership of AACSB International, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards global excellence in business education.

The AACSB membership certificate was presented by Prathap Das to Dr Smita Jadhav during a ceremony held at the GBSRC campus on June 5. The event was attended by senior university officials, faculty members and staff.

Receiving the certificate on behalf of the institution, Dr Jadhav described the membership as a reflection of the university’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, innovation and global relevance in management education.

“The vision of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth has always been to foster an environment of excellence, innovation and global relevance in management education. Joining the AACSB community is a reaffirmation that our values, standards and aspirations are aligned with the world’s best,” she said.

She added that AACSB membership would create new opportunities for academic benchmarking, faculty development, international networking and institutional growth. The university, she noted, remains focused on strengthening quality education, research excellence and continuous improvement.

Addressing the gathering, Das highlighted the importance of AACSB membership in connecting institutions to a global network of business educators, researchers and industry leaders. He said the recognition underscores a school’s commitment to quality, impact and innovation in business education.

According to AACSB, fewer than five per cent of business schools worldwide meet its rigorous accreditation standards, making membership a significant achievement for institutions seeking international recognition and enhanced academic credibility.

University officials said the development would further strengthen GBSRC’s academic programmes, research initiatives and industry partnerships, while creating greater opportunities for students and faculty to engage with global best practices in management education.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks to faculty members, staff and stakeholders whose contributions helped the institution achieve the milestone.

International students can study at Oxford with full financial support while working on cutting-edge research and innovation projects tackling global challenges.

Students aspiring to pursue undergraduate studies at one of the world's leading universities now have an opportunity to apply for the Ellison Undergraduate Scholars Program 2027, a fully funded scholarship initiative in the United Kingdom that combines academic excellence with hands-on innovation and research.

Funded by the Ellison Institute of Technology, the highly competitive programme enables outstanding international students to study at the University of Oxford while contributing to projects focused on solving major global challenges through science, technology and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The programme goes beyond traditional scholarship models by integrating undergraduate education with practical research experience. Selected scholars will participate in innovation projects, summer internships, technological development programmes and collaborative research initiatives at EIT Oxford throughout their academic journey.

The scholarship covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition fees, a generous living stipend, travel expenses, conference participation costs, and arrival-related expenses such as flights, visa fees and healthcare. Scholars will also receive support for their personal technology requirements and gain access to paid innovation project internships.

Applicants may choose from any undergraduate degree programme offered by Oxford University. Students with strong academic backgrounds and interests in fields such as artificial intelligence, computer science, machine learning, robotics, engineering, mathematics, economics, biology, chemistry, medicine, microbiology and plant sciences are particularly encouraged to apply.

The programme is open to high-achieving secondary school graduates from around the world who demonstrate a passion for innovation, scientific research and addressing real-world problems. Candidates must meet Oxford University's academic entry requirements, satisfy the minimum grade criteria for their chosen course, and fulfil the institution's English language proficiency requirements.

Required application documents include a curriculum vitae, a valid passport, secondary school academic records, proof of English language proficiency and any additional supporting documents requested during the application process.

Interested candidates must first complete an eligibility assessment and submit an online application through the official Ellison Scholars portal. Shortlisted semi-finalists will subsequently be required to complete Oxford University's separate admissions process.

The deadline to apply for the Ellison Undergraduate Scholars Program 2027 is July 31, 2026.