25. Kyoto University , Japan
Kyoto University rated as 25th best university in World  University Rankings 2009. Founded in 1897, Kyoto University has deeply  considered its traditions of liberal and academic freedom, educating many. We  continue to actively maintain these principles, which are the foundation of  academic freedom. Kyoto University places top priority on basic research,  develops advanced technology leading to the acquisition of intellectual  property, and then returns this knowledge to society through education, social  cooperation, and the opportunity for lifelong education. Kyoto University has 3  campuses nestled in a basin, which forms the main part of Kyoto , a city which  in tradition and culture of which Kyoto University is a part.
Lets take a look that which university has which position  according to world university rankings 2009. 
 
24. University of Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong rated as 24th best university in  World University Rankings 2009. The University of Hong Kong is the territorys  oldest university, and with a history that stretches back more than 90 years, it  has grown with and helped shape the city from which it takes its name. The  University of Hong Kong , as a pre-eminent international university in Asia ,  seeks to sustain and enhance its excellence as an institution of higher learning  through outstanding teaching and world-class research so as to produce  well-rounded graduates with lifelong abilities to provide leadership within the  societies they serve. HKU has won a proud reputation as a world-class  comprehensive research university. It offers internationally recognized  qualifications and it is renowned for its academic and research excellence  worldwide. As an English-medium university in China , HKU also offers  researchers unique opportunities to bridge cultures and continents, and to  explore more on China-related studies.

 
 
23. Kings College London 
Kings College London rated as  23rd best university in World University Rankings 2009. Kings College London is  a constituent college of the University of London in the United Kingdom . The  college was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and  its royal charter is predated in England only by those of Oxford University and  Cambridge University .. There are currently more than 19,000 students in nine  Schools of study based at our five London campuses. We offer a vast range of  undergraduate programmes, and whichever programme you choose to pursue, you will  work with academics who are often national or international leaders in their  field. As an undergraduate at Kings, you will become part of a vibrant and  intellectually stimulating community. You will be inspired by researchers,  discoverers and inventors who are pushing the boundaries of knowledge and will  mix with students from across the UK , Europe and almost every country in the  world. Kings has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped  modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA. It is the largest  centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe and is home to  five Medical Research Council Centres â‚€œ more than any other  university.

 
 
22. University of Tokyo 
University of Tokyo rated as  22th best university in World University Rankings 2009. The University of Tokyo  abbreviated as Todai, is a major research university located in Tokyo , Japan .  The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of  whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hong�, Komaba, Kashiwa , Shirokane  and Nakano. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious universities in  Japan.

 
 
21. University of Edinburgh 
University of Edinburgh  rated as 21st best university in World University Rankings 2009. The University  of Edinburgh was founded in 1583, making it one of Scotland s ancient  universities. The University offers over 600 first degree programmes, which  includes over 300 joint degree combinations, spread across some 100 academic  disciplines. More than 22,000 students study here, from all over the world and  from a variety of backgrounds. The University has 22 Schools in three Colleges:  Humanities & Social Science, Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, and Science  & Engineering. World renowned and well respected, a degree from the  University of Edinburgh will be recognised wherever you go. The University of  Edinburgh s success is not limited to Scotland , or even the UK . We have a  well-deserved international reputation for excellence, as demonstrated in our  partnerships with other key institutions worldwide, such as our work with  Stanford University on Informatics. Many of our degree programmes offer the  opportunity to spend some time studying abroad. Perhaps this international  dimension helps explain why we have the largest proportion of international  students of any Scottish university.

 
 
20. ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)  
ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) rated as 20th best  university in World University Rankings 2009. ETH Zurich s 16 departments offer  Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programmes in engineering and natural sciences.  The language of instruction in the Bachelor programmes is German, whereas  English is the prime language on the graduate level. All degree programmes  provide a solid scientific foundation combined with outstanding all-round  skills, equipping ETH graduates with the abilities and flexibility needed for a  career in industry, business or the public sector, as entrepreneur or  scientist.

 
 
19. University of Michigan , United States 
University  of Michigan rated as 18th best university in World University Rankings 2009. The  University of Michigan, one of the worlds leading public universities, has  26,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate/profession al students from all 50  states and 117 countries. Students may choose from over 200 undergraduate  majors, over 90 masters programs, and over 100 doctoral programs. Numerous  research and study abroad opportunities are offered at both the undergraduate  and graduate levels. A wide variety of social, cultural, and athletic activities  are available. There is something for everyone here. The University is located  in the culturally rich and exciting community of Ann Arbor . Distinct yet  closely integrated with the University, Ann Arbor offers its own array of social  and cultural offerings, to which University students are enthusiastically  welcomed. The city is home to numerous parks and athletic facilities, and boasts  an excellent public transportation system.

 
 
18. Mcgill University , Canada 
Mcgill University rated  as 18th best university in World University Rankings 2009. Innovative research  programs and cutting-edge facilities including our brand new Life Sciences  Complex attract internationally respected faculty. Our faculty excel at  research; in 2008, McGill professors Nahum Sonenberg and Charles Taylor took  home, respectively, the Gairdner International Award and the Kyoto Prize, two of  the worlds top research prizes. McGills faculty are committed to excellence in  teaching, too, bringing their cutting-edge breakthroughs into the classroom.  McGills 21 faculties and professional schools offer degrees in more than 300  fields of study. McGill offers a full range of bachelors, masters, and doctoral  programs as well as professional degrees in law, dentistry, business and  medicine. The world-renowned Faculty of Medicine has four affiliated teaching  hospitals and graduates more than 1,000 health care professionals each  year.

 
 
17. Australian National University 
Australian National  University rated as 17th best university in World University Rankings 2009. The  Australian National University is one of the worlds foremost research  universities. Distinguished by its relentless pursuit of excellence, ANU  attracts leading academics and outstanding students from Australia and around  the world. The primary educational objective of ANU is to become the university  of choice for talented students locally, nationally and internationally by  offering a unique range of research-led degree programs. Graduate education  continues as one of the major focuses of the University and about one quarter of  the total enrolment is undertaking post-graduate study. Regardless of whether  those students are enrolled in the Institute of Advanced Studies or the  Faculties, the full resources of both and of University Centres are available to  them through the Graduate School.

 
 
16. Stanford University , United States 
Stanford  University rated as 16th best university in World University Rankings 2009.  Stanford University , founded in 1885, is recognized as one of the worlds  leading research and teaching institutions, with one of the most renowned  faculties in the nation. Stanford students men and women of all races,  ethnicities and ages are distinguished by their love of learning and desire to  contribute to the greater community. Stanford University offers its students a  remarkable range of academic and extracurricular activities. We are committed to  offering an education that is unrivaled among research universities.

 
 
15. Cornell University , United States 
Cornell  University rated as 15th best university in World University Rankings 2009. Once  called €œthe first American university€� by educational historian Frederick  Rudolph, Cornell University represents a distinctive mix of eminent scholarship  and democratic ideals. Adding practical subjects to the classics and admitting  qualified students regardless of nationality, race, social circumstance, gender,  or religion was quite a departure when Cornell was founded in 1865. Todays  Cornell reflects this heritage of egalitarian excellence. It is home to the  nations first colleges devoted to hotel administration, industrial and labor  relations, and veterinary medicine. Both a private university and the land-grant  institution of New York State , Cornell University is the most educationally  diverse member of the Ivy League.

 
 
14. Duke University , United States 
Duke University  rated as 14th best university in World University Rankings 2009. Duke University  was created in 1924 by James Buchanan Duke as a memorial to his father,  Washington Duke. The Dukes, a Durham family that built a worldwide financial  empire in the manufacture of tobacco and developed electricity production in the  Carolinas, long had been interested in Trinity College . Trinity traced its  roots to 1838 in nearby Randolph County when local Methodist and Quaker  communities opened Union Institute. The school, then-named Trinity College ,  moved to Durham in 1892. In December 1924, the provisions of James B. Dukes  indenture created the family philanthropic foundation, The Duke Endowment, which  provided for the expansion of Trinity College into Duke University.

 
 
13. Johns Hopkins University , United States 
Johns  Hopkins University rated as 13th best university in World University Rankings  2009. The Johns Hopkins University , founded in Baltimore in 1876, was the first  university in the Western Hemisphere founded on the model of the European  research institution, where research and the advancement of knowledge were  integrally linked to teaching. Its establishment began a revolution in U.S.  higher education. The Johns Hopkins University , commonly referred to as Johns  Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university located in  Baltimore , Maryland , United States . Johns Hopkins also maintains full-time  campuses elsewhere in Maryland , Washington , D.C. , Italy , China , and  Singapore . Johns Hopkins University has an affiliated hospital and medical  school. It is one of fourteen founding members of the Association of American  Universities. . 

 
 
12. University of Pennsylvania , United States  
University of Pennsylvania rated as 12th best university in World  University Rankings 2009. The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to  as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university located in Philadelphia ,  Pennsylvania , USA . Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education  in the United States , and is one of several institutions that claims to have  been the first university in America . Penn is a member of the Ivy League and is  one of the Colonial Colleges. University of Pennsylvania has been committed to  excellence in scholarship, research and service. From its highly regarded  undergraduate, graduate and professional schools to its wide-ranging program of  interdisciplinary research and scholarship, Penn takes pride in being a place  where students and faculty can pursue knowledge without boundaries, a place  where theory and practice combine to produce a better understanding of our world  and ourselves.

 
 
11. Columbia University , United States 
Columbia  University rated as 11th best university in World University Rankings 2009.  Columbia University is one of the worlds most important centers of research and  at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for  undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields.  The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and  seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great  metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student  body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic  relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the  university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey  the products of its efforts to the world.

 
 
10. California Institute of Technology (caltech)  
California Institute of Technology (caltech) rated as 10th best  university in World University Rankings 2009. The mission of the California  Institute of Technology is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through  research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging,  fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial,  interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become  creative members of society.

 
 
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit), United States  
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit) rated as 9th best university  in World University Rankings 2009. The Institute is committed to generating,  disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring  this knowledge to bear on the worlds great challenges. MIT is dedicated to  providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study  and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of  a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT  community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively  for the betterment of humankind.The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and  educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that  will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

 
 
8. PRINCETON University , United States 
PRINCETON  University rated as 8th best university in World University Rankings 2009.  Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States . As a research  university, it seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the  discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding, and in the education  of graduate students. At the same time, Princeton is distinctive among research  universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching. The University  provides its students with academic, extracurricular and other resources €" in a  residential community committed to diversity in its student body, faculty and  staff €" that help them achieve at the highest scholarly levels and prepare them  for positions of leadership and lives of service in many fields of human  endeavor.

 
 
7. University of CHICAGO , United States 
University of  CHICAGO rated as the 7th best university in World University Rankings 2009. The  University of Chicago was founded in 1890 by the American Baptist Education  Society and oil magnate John D.. Rockefeller. The University of Chicago has had  a profound impact on American higher education; curricula across the country  have been influenced by the emphasis on broad humanistic and scientific  undergraduate education. The University also has a well-deserved reputation as  the teacher of teachers.

 
 
6. University of OXFORD , United Kingdom 
University of  OXFORD rated the sixth best university in World University Rankings 2009. Oxford  is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and lays claim to nine  centuries of continuous existence. As an internationally renowned centre for  teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the  globe, with almost a quarter of our students from overseas.. More than 130  nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000. Oxford  is a collegiate university, with 39 self-governing colleges related to the  University in a type of federal system. There are also seven Permanent Private  Halls, founded by different Christian denominations. . Thirty colleges and all  halls admit students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Seven other  colleges are for graduates only; one has Fellows only, and one specializes in  part-time and continuing education. 

 
 
5. IMPERIAL College London 
Imperial College London ,  rated the fifth best university in the world for 2009. Imperial College London  is a university of world class scholarship, education and research in science,  engineering and medicine, with particular regard to their application in  industry, commerce and healthcare. The College has over 3,000 academic and  research staff and almost 14,000 students from over 120 different countries. Our  reputation for excellence in teaching and research in science, engineering,  medicine and business attracts students and staff of the highest international  calibre. Imperial College staff are frequently consulted by governments, and  also act as members of professional bodies, advise industry, and offer informed  comment to the media.

 
 
4. UCL ( University College London ) 
UCL (University  College London) rated the fourth best university in World University Rankings  2009. UCL is a multidisciplinary university with an international reputation for  the quality of its research and teaching across the academic spectrum, with  subjects spanning the sciences, arts, social sciences and biomedicine. In the  2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) UCL was rated the best research  university in London , and third in the UK overall, for the number of its  submissions which were considered of world-leading quality. The university is  located on a compact site in the very heart of London and is surrounded by the  greatest concentration of libraries, museums, archives, cultural institutions  and professional bodies in Europe.

 
 
3. Yale University , United States 
Yale University  rated as third best university in the World University Rankings 2009. Yale  University is one of the most famous schools in the United States , with a long  history of service and an alumni list that reads like a €œWhos Who€� of  successful people. Yale University is the fulfillment of a European vision of  intellectual freedom that is aimed at the service of the community and country..  It has championed over history and survived the most destructive calamities such  as the American Revolution. Since then, the university has continually grown and  progressed to a center for high quality education that is recognized by the  global community. The university is considered one of the oldest institution of  higher education in the US . It was founded in 1701 and is a proud member of the  prestigious Ivy League.

 
 
2. University of Cambridge , United Kingdom 
University  of Cambridge rated the second best in World University Rankings 2009. The  University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world and one  of the largest in the United Kingdom . Its reputation for outstanding academic  achievement is known world-wide and reflects the intellectual achievement of its  students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by the staff  of the University and the Colleges. Its reputation is endorsed by the Quality  Assurance Agency and by other external reviewers of learning and teaching, such  as External Examiners. These high standards are the result of both the learning  opportunities offered at Cambridge and by its extensive resources, including  libraries, museums and other collections. Teaching consists not only of  lectures, seminars and practical classes led by people who are world experts in  their field, but also more personalised teaching arranged through the Colleges.  Many opportunities exist for students to interact with scholars of all levels,  both formally and informally.

 
 
1. Harvard University , United States 
Harvard  University rated as the number one university in World University Rankings 2009.  Harvard is America s oldest institution of higher learning, founded 140 years  before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The University has grown from  nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 18,000 degree  candidates, including undergraduates and students in 10 principal academic  units. An additional 13,000 students are enrolled in one or more courses in the  Harvard Extension School . Over 14,000 people work at Harvard, including more  than 2,000 faculty. There are also 7,000 faculty appointments in affiliated  teaching hospitals.