NEW DELHI: None of the Indian cities have made it to the top 100 of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2024 survey that showcases the best student-friendly destinations for international students.
While Mumbai ranked 118, the highest among Indian cities, Delhi stood at 132 positions. It is followed by Bengaluru at 147 and then Chennai at 154.
London, however, continues to be in the top position in the ‘World University Rankings’. The other top cities are Tokyo, Seoul, Melbourne, Munich, Paris, Sydney, Berlin, Zurich and Boston.
As per the QS survey, London continued to retain its position as the best student-friendly city for the fifth consecutive time. "London takes the number one spot once again, strengthening the city and the UK’s position as a leading global study destination," a statement said.
QS has ranked cities on six parameters, including university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability and student voice.
Indian cities were not able to come in the top 100 due to the desirability indicator, which is related to quality of life, pollution index, safety, and the propensity of prospective students to select a city for their university experience.
The priority choice among prospective students when asked about their five most important factors in choosing a country or city to study in was a safe and welcoming space for international students (79 per cent) followed by high-quality teaching (63 per cent), a good reputation for studying (57 per cent), a good lifestyle and leisure opportunity (57 per cent) and cost of living (55 per cent) in order of importance.
Other factors that were considered included QS World University Rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability and student voice.
The survey compares 160 premier educational destinations, including 26 new entries. The number is up from 140. The criteria for the survey are that each city must have a population of 25,000-plus and house at least two universities featured in the most recent QS World University Rankings.