[EMBARGO JUNE 2, June 1 -- Nine Malaysian universities, led by Universiti Malaya (UM), featured in the 2025 edition of the Center for World University Rankings' (CWUR) Global 2000 list, but two-thirds of them dropped in position, while three improved.

The main factor for the decline in rankings was research performance, the group said, amid intensified global competition from well-funded institutions.

"While Malaysia has nine representatives among the world's top universities, what is alarming is the slide of the nation's academic institutions due to weakening research performance and limited financial backing from the government," said CWUR president Dr Nadim Mahassen.

"At a time when several countries are placing the development of e...