The definitive ranking of the 39 best universities in the world

Duke University/Facebook

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) remains the best university in the world for a seventh consecutive year, according to the latest ranking from education research firm Quacquarelli Symonds.

Every year QS ranks universities around the world using a methodology that evaluates academic reputation, employer reputation, student-to-faculty ratio, as well as international reputation. 

Using a points system, QS then rates the universities out of 100. They use these numbers to determine the best universities in the world.

MIT scored a 100 in every category, and as a result gained a perfect overall score, beating the likes of Harvard and Oxford University.

The latest rankings were published last week and can be found on the QS website.

39 universities gained a rating of more than 80 out of 100, spanning four continents, and almost a dozen different countries. The USA dominates the top of the list, while the UK and China are also prominent.

See who made the cut:

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• Your opinion matters — Join BI Insiders program

• Scientists think they have found the reason some people are left-handed — and it has nothing to do with the brain

• The 2 biggest style mistakes men make with their suits, according to a menswear CEO

SEE ALSO: The world's 21 best universities by subject — from biology to business management

SEE ALSO: The 29 most powerful business degrees in the world