Centre of World University Rankings reveals the top-ten universities in the world

Two UK universities have remained in the top-five for the second year running

(Getty)

Two UK universities have held on to their spots in the top-five best university in the world rankings as American institutions continued to sweep the top-ten.

Cambridge and Oxford have, again, been placed number four and five respectively for the second-year running as Harvard University in Massachusetts held on to the top-spot.

Connecticut’s Yale University lost its place as the tenth best and has, instead, been replaced by Cornell University in New York.

The Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) publishes the only global university ranking that measures the quality of education and training of students along with the prestige of the faculty members and the quality of their research.

The organisation prides itself on not using surveys and university data submissions when compiling the annual list.

A spokesman for the University of Cambridge expressed his delight at the institution being placed at number four in the rankings and said: “This ranking, like all the others, reflects the fact that the University of Cambridge is among a small group of the most respected and influential higher education institutions in the world.”

The CWUR uses only eight methods when compiling the list of 1,000 universities, including quality of education – in terms of the number of major international awards, prizes, and medals won by alumni – and the number of alumni who have held CEO at the world’s top companies.

The amount of academics and professors who have won major international awards are taken into consideration too.