However, UNAM lost positions against the 2009 when it was 190 ranked among the best universities in the world, according to the list of the British firm. The study entitled World University Rankings 2010 chose the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, as the best in the world, surpassing the Harvard American who headed the list since 2004. It is the first time that a non-American University tops this list, prepared by 15,000 academics from around the world. In third and fourth place are Yale University – United States – and the British University College London. None in Spanish the Tecnologico de Massachusetts (MIT) rises to fifth place from ninth. This reflects, according to QS, the fortress and the growing prestige of universities specializing in technology. As noted by Katherine Sellgren, specialist in the BBC education issues, QS rankings weighted by 40 percent the academic reputation, 10 per cent employability, by 20 percent to publications academic teachers, 20 percent to the rate of students per teacher and give an additional 10 percent according to the international character of the composition of teachers and students. In total, 22 countries are represented in the list of the one hundred first, three more than last year.
Of those 100, 15 are universities in Asia, headed by the University of Hong Kong in place 23. Most of the 200 best universities are American. Spanish-speaking there is no, since the only one in Spain, the University of Barcelona (at number 148), as the official language is catalan. In reference to the performance of Latin American universities, John O Leary, Executive Member of the academic Advisory Board of QS, said that for the first time in several years the region does not have a University with the list of the 200 best. To disseminate the results, Ben Sowter, head of the QS Research, pointed out that given the uncertain economic Outlook, it is reassuring for students to know that the best 200 universities in the world are also the most popular among employers, suggesting that a world-class title remains the best way to get a good job.