📚 How to Combine QS and THE World University Rankings for Your University Choice | 留学选校：如何综合参考 QS 与 THE 世界大学排名
Global university rankings are often the first port of call for students planning to study abroad. QS and THE (Times Higher Education) rankings dominate the conversation, but using them in isolation can paint an incomplete picture. This guide shows you how to blend both frameworks intelligently to build a shortlist that truly fits your academic goals, career ambitions, and personal preferences.
对于计划留学的学生来说，世界大学排名往往是第一参考。QS 与 THE（泰晤士高等教育）排名占据舆论主导，但单独依赖任何一个都可能绘出片面的图像。本文教你如何聪明地融合这两套框架，形成一个真正契合你学术目标、职业抱负与个人偏好的选校清单。
1. Understanding the Two Giants: QS and THE Rankings | 认识两大排名巨头：QS与THE排名
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) first published its World University Rankings in 2004, focusing heavily on academic reputation and employability. Times Higher Education (THE) launched its current methodology in 2010 after parting ways with QS, placing greater emphasis on research output and teaching environment. Both have since become indispensable reference points for international applicants, yet they often disagree on university positions due to their differing philosophy.
QS（Quacquarelli Symonds）于2004年首次发布世界大学排名，尤其侧重学术声誉与就业能力。THE（泰晤士高等教育）在2010年与QS分道扬镳后推出了现行方法论，更强调科研产出与教学环境。此后两者都成为国际申请者不可或缺的参考点，但由于核心理念不同，它们对同一所大学的位次常出现分歧。
Recognising these philosophical roots is the first step. QS views the university primarily as a career springboard, while THE sees it as a research-driven ecosystem. Neither is inherently wrong, but your own priorities will determine which lens is more relevant. A student focused on industry placement may initially resonate with QS, while a future PhD candidate should scrutinise THE’s research metrics closely.
认清这些哲学根源是第一步。QS 将大学主要视为职业跳板，而 THE 将其看作以研究为驱动的生态系统。两者本身并无绝对对错，但你的个人优先级会决定哪一视角更贴切。关注行业就业的学生最初可能更认同 QS，而未来的博士生则应仔细审视 THE 的科研指标。
2. Core Indicators: What They Actually Measure | 核心指标：它们究竟衡量什么
QS compiles its overall score from six indicators with varying weights: Academic Reputation (40%), Employer Reputation (10%), Faculty/Student Ratio (20%), Citations per Faculty (20%), International Faculty Ratio (5%), and International Student Ratio (5%). THE uses 13 performance indicators grouped into five pillars: Teaching (the learning environment) 29.5%, Research Environment (volume, income and reputation) 29%, Research Quality (citation impact, research strength, excellence) 30%, International Outlook (staff, students, research) 7.5%, and Industry Income (innovation) 4%.
QS 总得分由六个权重不等的指标构成：学术声誉（40%）、雇主声誉（10%）、师生比（20%）、篇均引用（20%）、国际教师比例（5%）、国际学生比例（5%）。THE 则运用13个具体指标，分属五大支柱：教学（学习环境）占29.5%，研究环境（体量、收入与声誉）占29%，研究质量（引用影响力、研究实力与卓越性）占30%，国际化视野（员工、学生与研究）占7.5%，以及产业收入（创新）占4%。
The sheer difference in the number of underlying metrics highlights a crucial fact: THE gathers a wider tapestry of institutional data, from student-staff ratios to doctorate-bachelor ratios and institutional income, whereas QS leans more heavily on global surveys of academics and employers. This means a university’s reputation among its peers can disproportionately buoy its QS rank, while THE may reward institutions that generate robust research income or have a balanced student profile.
底层指标数量的差异揭示了一个关键事实：THE 采集了更广泛的数据图谱，包括师生比、博士与学士学位授予比以及机构收入；相比之下，QS 更倚重全球学者和雇主的问卷调查。这意味着大学在同侪中的声誉可能不成比例地抬高其 QS 名次，而 THE 则更嘉奖那些有雄厚科研收入或学生结构均衡的院校。
To illustrate the difference clearly, consider this simplified comparison table:
为了更直观地展示差异，请看以下简化对比表：
| Dimension | QS Weight | THE Weight (approx.) | Main Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic/Research Reputation | 40% | ~33% (Research Environment + part of Research Quality) | Surveys / Bibliometrics |
| Employer Reputation / Industry Income | 10% | 4% (Industry Income) | Surveys / Institutional data |
| Teaching & Learning Experience | 20% (Faculty/Student Ratio) | 29.5% (Teaching pillar) | Institutional data / Surveys |
| Research Output & Impact | 20% (Citations per Faculty) | 30% (Research Quality) | Scopus / Elsevier data |
| Internationalisation | 10% (Staff + Students) | 7.5% (Intl. Outlook + research) | Institutional data |
3. Weighting Differences: Why Cambridge Ranks Differently | 权重差异：为什么剑桥在两个榜单上位置不同
A classic example is the University of Cambridge. In QS 2025, Cambridge often places around 2nd or 3rd globally, benefiting enormously from its stellar academic and employer reputation scores. In the THE World University Rankings, Cambridge typically sits a little lower, around 3rd to 5th, because THE’s research quality indicators use a refined field-weighted citation impact and place less proportional weight on pure reputation surveys. This is not a demotion of Cambridge’s research excellence but a reflection of the methodology.
剑桥大学是一个经典案例。在 QS 2025 排名中，剑桥常居全球第2或第3，极大地受益于其卓越的学术声誉与雇主声誉得分。在 THE 世界大学排名中，剑桥通常略低，居于第3至第5位，因为 THE 的研究质量指标采用了更加精细的学科加权引用影响力，且对纯粹的声誉调查赋予的比例权重较小。这并非贬低剑桥的科研卓越性，而是方法论的反映。
Such divergences appear across the board. Large, historic universities with broad global name recognition tend to punch above their weight in QS, while younger, research-intensive institutions with high industry income or highly cited niche research can surge in THE. The London School of Economics, for instance, often fares better in QS than in THE owing to its exceptional employer reputation, even though its citation counts are modest in a social science context.
此类分歧随处可见。历史悠久、全球知名度高的综合性大学在 QS 中往往表现出色，而建校时间较短、产业收入高或在细分领域引用率极高的研究密集型院校能在 THE 中高歌猛进。例如，伦敦政治经济学院凭借卓越的雇主声誉在 QS 中的表现通常优于 THE，即便在社会科学语境下其引用量并不突出。
4. Academic Reputation vs. Research Influence: The Heart of the Divide | 学术声誉与研究影响力：分歧的核心
QS’s gigantic 40% academic reputation score is derived from a global survey of academics who name the top universities in their field. This measure captures perceived excellence but is inherently backward-looking and can be slow to reflect rapid improvements in young universities. THE, by contrast, replaces a single reputation pillar with a combination of research reputation survey, research income, and citation analysis, creating a more multi-dimensional picture of actual discovery.
QS 高达40%的学术声誉分数源于一项全球学术调查，让学者们提名各自领域内的顶尖大学。这一指标捕捉的是感知上的卓越，但本质上是回顾性的，难以迅速反映新兴大学的快速进步。THE 则将一个单一的声誉支柱替换为科研声誉调查、科研收入与引文分析的综合体，形成对实际科研发现的更多维刻画。
What this means for you: if you are applying to a course where the curriculum is heavily shaped by the latest research (e.g., biotechnology, data science, or materials engineering), the THE research quality and research environment scores might be more revealing. If your goal is to work in a field where the university brand on your CV opens doors, QS’s reputation focus holds greater relevance.
这对你意味着：如果你申请的课程高度依赖前沿研究（如生物技术、数据科学或材料工程），THE 的研究质量和研究环境得分可能更具指示性。如果你的目标是进入一个简历上的大学品牌能叩开大门的行业，则 QS 的声誉侧重更具现实意义。
5. Teaching Quality and Student Experience | 教学质量与学生体验
QS addresses teaching quality mainly through the faculty-to-student ratio, assuming smaller class sizes facilitate better interaction. THE digs much deeper, incorporating a teaching reputation survey, staff-to-student ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio, and institutional income per academic. THE’s teaching pillar also considers the number of doctorates awarded relative to academic staff, capturing a university’s emphasis on cultivating researchers.
QS 主要通过师生比来反映教学质量，假定小班教学促进更好的互动。THE 则挖掘得更深，纳入了教学声誉调查、师生比、博士与学士学位授予比，以及师均机构收入。THE 的教学支柱还会考虑授予博士学位数量相对学术人员的比例，捕捉大学培育研究者的重视程度。
Neither ranking fully captures the undergraduate classroom experience, because metrics like student engagement, mental health support, or active learning opportunities remain unmeasured. Therefore, when using rankings to gauge teaching, you must supplement them with actual student reviews, virtual open days, and module handbooks. A high THE teaching score may indicate a research-rich environment, which is brilliant for a final-year dissertation but does not guarantee inspiring lectures in first year.
两个排名都无法完全捕捉本科学堂体验，因为诸如学生参与度、心理健康支持或主动学习机会等指标尚未被量化。因此，在借助排名评估教学质量时，你必须辅以真实的学生评价、线上开放日以及课程手册。THE 教学得分高可能暗示研究氛围浓厚，这对毕业设计极佳，却未必能保证第一年的课堂引人入胜。
6. Internationalization: Diversity and Global Outlook | 国际化：多元文化与国际视野
QS sets aside a combined 10% for international faculty and students, offering a proxy for a campus’s multicultural environment. THE’s International Outlook pillar (7.5%) goes further by also measuring the proportion of internationally co-authored research papers. This additional nuance rewards universities that maintain active global research partnerships, not just ones that attract international fee-paying students.
QS 将国际教师与国际学生的比例合并占分10%，以此来衡量校园的多元文化环境。THE 的国际化视野支柱（7.5%）则更进一步，同时测量国际合作论文的比例。这一额外细节嘉奖的是那些保持活跃全球研究伙伴关系的大学，而非仅靠吸引国际付费学生的院校。
If you dream of a linguistically diverse campus and strong career networks across continents, a university excelling in both the QS international ratios and THE’s international collaboration score is ideal. Examples include many Swiss and Dutch institutions that sit highly on both international metrics despite modest overall sizes, proving that internationalisation is not just the preserve of Anglophone giants.
假如你向往语言多样的校园与遍布各洲的职业网络，一所同时在 QS 国际比例与 THE 国际合作得分上突出的大学将十分理想。瑞士与荷兰的许多院校尽管总体规模不大，但在这两项国际化指标上都高居前列，证明国际化并非只是英语系大国独享的优势。
7. Subject-Specific Rankings: Aligning with Your Major | 学科排名：与你的专业精准对齐
Both publishers offer subject-level rankings, but the methodologies shift. QS Subject Rankings heavily weight academic and employer reputation within each discipline, while THE’s subject tables retain the same five-pillar framework but recalibrate the indicator weights per field. For example, in arts and humanities, THE reduces the weight of citations and increases the weight of teaching and research environment, acknowledging that publishing norms differ vastly from the sciences.
两大出版商都提供了学科层面排名，但方法论会相应调整。QS 学科排名在具体学科内部仍高度侧重学术与雇主声誉，而 THE 的学科表虽然保留五大支柱框架，却会根据领域重新校准指标权重。例如，在艺术与人文学科中，THE 会降低引文权重并提高教学与研究环境的权重，承认该领域的发表规律与理工科截然不同。
This makes QS more brand-driven within a subject, often favouring well-known comprehensive universities even in disciplines where a smaller specialist college dominates industry. THE’s subject rankings tend to be more sensitive to research productivity. When you have a very specific academic interest, it is wise to consult both subject rankings and look for consistency: a department that appears in the top 30 of both QS and THE is likely genuinely strong.
这使得 QS 在学科内更偏重品牌驱动，常在某个小型专业学院实则主宰行业的学科上仍青睐知名的综合性大学。THE 的学科排名则对科研生产力更为敏感。当你拥有非常具体的学术兴趣时，明智的做法是同时查阅两套学科排名并寻求一致性：一个能同时进入 QS 与 THE 前30的院系很可能实力强劲。
8. Regional Performance: Navigating Country Biases | 地区表现：了解国别倾向
No ranking is free of regional bias. QS’s reliance on academic and employer surveys arguably advantages universities in Anglophone countries with deep branding histories. Institutions in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada typically dominate the top 100. THE’s citation database, largely drawn from English-language journals, can similarly benefit institutions that produce research in English, although its normalisation by field partially corrects for this.
任何排名都无法避免区域倾向。QS 对学术与雇主问卷的依赖或许让历史悠久、品牌积淀深厚的英语国家大学获益。美国、英国、澳大利亚和加拿大的院校通常主宰前100名。THE 的引文数据库主要来自英语期刊，同样可能使以英语发表研究的院校获利，尽管其按领域归一的努力对此有所修正。
Meanwhile, engineering powerhouses in Germany or high-tech Japanese universities may appear lower than expected on QS due to less global survey recognition, but perform strongly on THE’s research environment and industry income metrics. Thus, if you are targeting non-Anglophone destinations, THE often provides a fairer snapshot of research strength and industry connectivity. Cross-referencing both rankings helps you spot hidden gems in regions where English is not the primary instruction language.
与此同时，德国工程强校或日本高科技大学可能因全球问卷辨识度较低而在 QS 中位次低于预期，却在 THE 的研究环境与产业收入指标上表现优异。因此，若你瞄准非英语国家留学目的地，THE 往往提供更公平的科研实力与产业连接快照。交叉参考两套排名有助于你发现那些不以英语为主要教学语言地区的隐藏宝藏。
9. Creating Your Personal Scorecard: A Dual-Reference Strategy | 创建你的个人评分卡：双参考策略
Start by listing your non-negotiables: perhaps a strong lab placement record, high graduate employment rate, or a campus in a specific city. Then, pick three QS indicators and three THE indicators that align with those priorities. For example, assign 30% weight to QS Employer Reputation, 20% to THE’s Industry Income, 15% to QS Faculty/Student Ratio, 15% to THE’s Teaching pillar, 10% to QS International Student Ratio, and 10% to THE’s International Outlook.
首先列出你的必选条件：也许是一个优良的实验室实习记录、高毕业生就业率，或某特定城市的校园。接着，从 QS 与 THE 中各选三项最贴合这些优先级的指标。例如，将 QS 雇主声誉赋权30%，THE 产业收入赋权20%，QS 师生比赋权15%，THE 教学支柱赋权15%，QS 国际学生比例赋权10%，THE 国际化视野赋权10%。
Insert this personal weighting into a simple spreadsheet. Filter only universities that meet your basic entry requirements, then rank them by your composite score. Crucially, do not default to a single overall ranking number. A university at QS rank 80 and THE rank 120 might outperform a QS rank 60 and THE 200 university if your weighting scheme values research environment heavily. This personalised lens transforms rankings from a passive list into an active decision tool.
将个人权重填入一张简易电子表格。仅筛选符合你基本入学要求的大学，然后按你的综合得分排序。关键的是，不要粗暴默认某一个综合排名数字。一所 QS 排第80名、THE 排第120名的大学，若你的赋权方案高度重视研究环境，就可能优于一所 QS 排第60名、THE 排第200名的学校。这种个性化视角将排名从一份被动清单转化为主动决策工具。
10. Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Interpreting Rankings | 解读排名时的常见误区
One typical mistake is chasing highly volatile year-on-year rank changes. A drop from 45th to 52nd in a single edition rarely signals a genuine decline in education quality; it often reflects minor bibliometric fluctuations or a change in the survey sample. Another trap is comparing overall rank between universities of fundamentally different missions, such as a specialised art college and a large research university.
一个典型错误是追逐大幅的年度名次波动。单年度从第45名下滑到第52名，极少意味着教育质量真的下降；它常常反映微小的文献计量波动或问卷样本的变化。另一个陷阱是对办学使命截然不同的大学做综合排名比较，例如将一所专业艺术学院与一所大型研究型大学混为一谈。
Many students also neglect the data freshness: QS updates its citation window periodically, while THE continuously refines its indicators. This means that a spike in one year could be an artefact of updated Scopus data rather than real improvement. Moreover, leaning exclusively on rankings may cause you to ignore crucial factors like cost of living, visa policies, or alumni network strength in your target industry — all of which lie outside the ranking framework.
许多学生还忽略了数据的时效性：QS 定期更新引文窗口，而 THE 则持续完善指标。这意味着某一年的跃升可能只是 Scopus 数据更新的假象，而非真实进步。此外，完全依赖排名可能会让你忽视一些关键因素，如生活成本、签证政策，或目标行业校友网络的实力——这些均处于排名框架之外。
11. Beyond Numbers: Using Rankings as a Starting Point | 超越数字：将排名作为起点
Once your shortlist is formed using the dual-ranking method, validate each option through concrete sources. University websites often publish employment outcome data and student satisfaction surveys that are more granular than any global ranking. Attend virtual Q&A sessions, connect with current students on platforms like LinkedIn, and explore departmental research project pages to see if the academic culture excites you.
当你用双排名方法形成初选名单后，要通过具体信息源验证每一个选项。大学官网通常发布就业成果数据与学生满意度调查，这些比任何全球排名都更细颗粒度。参加线上答疑会，在领英等平台上联系在读学生，浏览院系科研项目页面，看看那里的学术文化是否令你振奋。
Also, consider the ranking trajectory over three to five years. A university that steadily climbs in QS and simultaneously consolidates its THE teaching score is likely on a strong developmental path. Conversely, a university with flat reputation scores but declining research income may be facing structural challenges. View rankings as a thermometer, not a permanent label — they reflect a dynamic institution.
同时，观察三至五年的排名趋势。一所大学若在 QS 中稳定上升且同时巩固其 THE 教学得分，很可能走在强健的发展轨道上。反之，若某校声誉评分停滞而研究收入下降，则可能正面临结构性挑战。将排名视为温度计，而非永久标签——它们反映的是一个动态发展的机构。
12. Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision | 结语：做出明智之选
There is no universal formula that declares one ranking superior. QS gives you a clear window into global employer perception and class size, while THE unveils the depth of research culture and teaching infrastructure. By blending them — and, more importantly, personalising their indicators to your unique profile — you move from passive consumer of lists to strategic decision-maker.
不存在一个能宣称某一排名更优越的通用公式。QS 让你清晰窥见全球雇主观感与班级规模，而 THE 则揭示研究文化与教学基础设施的深度。通过将两者融合——更重要的是，把它们的指标个性化适配你的独特情况——你将从被动的排名消费者转变为策略性决策者。
The university that maximises your potential is rarely the one on top of a single table. It is the one where your academic interests, career goals, and personal well-being converge. Let QS and THE serve as two calibrated compasses, but remember that you hold the map.
那所最能激发你潜力的大学，很少是某一榜单的顶点。它应是你的学术兴趣、职业目标与个人幸福交汇之处。让 QS 与 THE 作为两个校准后的指南针，但请记住，你手握地图。
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