Taipei ranked as the world’s 23rd-best city in which to study, while Hsinchu placed 55th, according to Quacquarelli Symonds’ Best Student Cities 2016, an annual survey compiled by the UK-based education network.
It is Taipei’s best showing since the survey was launched in 2012.
The rankings were topped by Paris, followed by Melbourne, Australia, Tokyo, Sydney, London and Singapore, in that order.
Led by National Taiwan University — which ranked 70th in the world — Taipei is depicted as one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs by the index.
Taipei has become increasingly popular with travelers, renowned worldwide for its high-tech industry and mixture of fast-paced modern city life and traditional cultural elements, according to the survey.
In addition, the survey found that tuition fees and living costs are relatively low in Taipei, making it one of the most affordable among the top 75 cities and the best choice for those on a tight budget.
Taipei’s performance improved from 34th in 2012, to 28th the following year and 25th last year.
Paris benefits from low tuition fees, a favorable rating on the Mercer Cost of Living Index and the second-highest number of globally prestigious universities among the cities listed, behind only London.
With 11 cities on the list, including Boston in 13th place and New York in 20th, the US is the most represented nation, followed by the UK (eight cities) and Australia (seven cities).
Launched in 2012, the index is designed to provide a detailed comparison of study locations around the globe.
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