The THE-QS World University Rankings 2008 have received unprecedented response levels from both the international academic community and employers. A total of 6,354 academics (compared with 5,101 in 2007) and 2,339 employers (compared with 1,482 in 2007) responded to the surveys, eager to reflect the position and influence of the world's leading universities.

This latest edition of the THE-QS World University Rankings reflects the increasing profile of technology-based institutions, with many of the world's top universities in this area such as Caltech, MIT, ETH Zurich, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology improving their position. As demand by international employers for more technology-literate graduates has grown, the importance of these universities has risen in the Rankings.

Ann Mroz, editor of THE, says: "These rankings use an unprecedented amount of data to deliver the most accurate measure available of the world's best universities and of the strength of different nations' university systems. They are important for governments wanting to gauge the progress of their education systems and are used in planning by universities across the world."

Nunzio Quacquarelli, Managing Director of QS and co-editor of the Top Universities Guide says: "In just five years, the THE-QS World University Rankings have become the primary benchmark for comparing universities across borders - recognised for their accuracy and insight. The rankings allow prospective students, parents, academics, employers, and journalists to gain insight into international university education, helping them to make the right choice, whether it involves selecting a university for study or for partnership."

Quacquarelli adds: "Rankings are contentious, and QS has always argued that they should be used with caution, understanding that they cannot reflect all aspects of university excellence. The criteria upon which we rank universities reflect our mission to identify the world's top educational facilities in terms of research, employability, international profile, and teaching quality. But we recognise that everyone is different, and we encourage people to look at the data for over 1,000 universities covered in our research and to create their own personalised ranking."