Israel’s standing in global academia has taken a hit in the latest Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) Global 2000 list for 2025, with six out of nine Israeli universities slipping compared to the previous year. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, however, continues to lead the national pack, climbing one spot to 65th globally, despite modest declines in faculty quality, employability, and research metrics.
CWUR, which evaluated over 20,000 institutions and ranked the top 2,000, uses criteria including quality of education, alumni employability, academic distinction among faculty, and various research metrics (which together account for 40% of the score). According to the organization, Israeli universities are struggling to maintain competitiveness, largely due to stagnating government support and weakening research output, while global peers ramp up investment.
Performance of top Israeli universities:
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem – up to #65 (from #66), showing gains in educational quality despite falling slightly in other categories.
- Weizmann Institute of Science – moved up four places to #70, driven by continued scientific excellence.
- Tel Aviv University – dropped to #156, still among the top 200 globally.
- Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – down to #188.
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – fell to #358.
- Remaining Israeli entries include Bar-Ilan University (#591), University of Haifa (#684), Ariel University (#1435), and Reichman University (#1989).
Dr. Nadim Mahassen, president of CWUR, called the overall national trend “alarming,” attributing the decline to limited financial backing and a lack of strategic planning. “Without significant reform and reinvestment,” he warned, “Israel risks falling further behind in the global academic arena.”
Ivy League maintains elite status amid broader U.S. decline
Despite a broader dip among U.S. universities in the rankings, the Ivy League continues to dominate the top tiers of global academia. All eight Ivy League institutions rank in the global top 75, with several holding positions in the top ten:
- Harvard University retains the #1 spot for the 14th consecutive year.
- Princeton University ranks 6th.
- University of Pennsylvania improves to 7th.
- Columbia University is 8th, followed by Yale University at 9th.
- Cornell University is ranked 14th, with Dartmouth College at 45th, and Brown University at 71st.
However, CWUR notes that many American universities are facing downward pressure due to federal budget cuts and debates over academic freedom and free speech, which are affecting institutional performance and global reputation.
UK’s elite remain stable, but most institutions fall
Among United Kingdom universities, the global elite have held their ground:
- University of Cambridge remains at #4.
- University of Oxford holds at #5.
- University College London (UCL) is stable at #20.
- Imperial College London climbs slightly to #28.
- King’s College London is ranked 42nd.
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Still, CWUR reports that 75% of UK universities in the Global 2000 have dropped in ranking, and the nation’s overall academic standing is weakening in the face of more aggressive investment elsewhere—particularly in China and parts of Asia.
Conclusion
This year’s CWUR rankings underscore a growing divide: while legacy institutions like Harvard, Cambridge, and the Hebrew University maintain their prestige, the broader Israeli academic system shows signs of stress, particularly in research. With many universities slipping in position and global competition intensifying, experts are calling for a strategic overhaul and stronger public funding to prevent further erosion of Israel’s global academic standing.