The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has retaken the top spot in the 2025-2026 BlueSky Composite Ranking, a unified global university index combining Times Higher Education, QS, U.S. News & World Report, and ARWU data. Harvard dropped to second and Stanford to third. Notably, Asian universities, especially mainland Chinese institutions such as Tsinghua and Peking University, made significant gains, with nine Chinese universities now among the top 100 globally. The U.S. retains dominance in the rankings but shows signs of slipping momentum, with 80% of its top schools losing ground since 2022. The BlueSky composite ranking, published by UK consultancy BlueSky Thinking, reflects research output, citations, and academic reputation across major global rankings.