On October 9, 2024, Times Higher Education (THE), the prestigious global authority on university rankings, unveiled its World University Rankings for 2025. This year, Khon Kaen University has made a remarkable leap, securing a spot in the 1001-1200 range globally and proudly standing as the 4th best university in Thailand. This achievement is part of a competitive field of 1,907 institutions from 108 countries.
Assist. Prof. Tala Thammaroj, MD., Vice President for Administration at KKU, expressed immense satisfaction with this year’s results. “Our university has climbed from the 1201-1500 range last year to the 1001-1200 range globally, thanks to significant improvements across all key performance indicators,” he stated. Notably, KKU’s Teaching score surged to 30.3% from 23.3%, while the Research Environment score rose to 16.4% from 15.7%.
KKU’s Research Quality also saw a substantial boost, climbing to 41.4% from 35.5%, and the Industry score increased impressively to 46.4% from 36.1%. The International Outlook score also improved, reaching 35.9% from 35.4%.
Dr. Tala highlighted that KKU’s rise to 4th place in Thailand, up from 6th last year, is driven by outstanding scores in Teaching and continuous advancements in Research Environment. “Our strategic focus on research and innovation is paying off, and we anticipate even higher scores next year,” he added.
KKU’s success is attributed to its clear vision and strategic initiatives in teaching, research, and industry collaboration, which have attracted external funding and fostered commercial innovation. These efforts are beginning to show tangible results, with the university setting its sights on breaking into the 801-1000 range globally next year.
The dedication of KKU’s administration, faculty, staff, and students is pivotal in this achievement. Their contributions in teaching, research, innovation, and international collaboration are key to enhancing the university’s global standing. Through research partnerships, network building, and international conferences, KKU is on a path to even greater success.
In the 2025 rankings, Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University share the top spot in Thailand, both ranked in the 601-800 range globally. King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi follows in 3rd place, ranked in the 801-1000 range. Khon Kaen University and Chiang Mai University are tied for 4th place, both in the 1001-1200 range.