Shanghai's Fudan University has broken into top 50 of the QS World University Rankings for the first time.

In the 13th edition of the rankings, Fudan is 43rd, up eight places from last year, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University is 61st, up from 70th in 2015.

China’s mainland has three universities in the global top 50, as Tsinghua University climbed one place to 24. Peking University jumped two places to 39.

Three of Hong Kong’s seven featured institutions are listed in the top 50 — the University of Hong Kong at 27, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (36) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (44).

Published annually, the QS World University Rankings provides an index of the world’s leading higher education institutions, based on assessment on university performance in research, teaching, employability and internationalization.

The ranking has been expanded this year to feature 916 universities, 25 more than last year, covering 81 countries.

This year’s edition sees leading US and UK universities retain their positions at the top, though they are facing a growing challenge from the world’s emerging economic powers.

Holding onto the top spot for the fifth consecutive year is Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is followed by Stanford University, which has climbed one place.

Harvard University, which led the ranking from 2004 to 2009, dropped to third, while the Cambridge University slipped to fourth, from joint third placing with Stanford last year.

This is also the first time since the inaugural edition that US universities have occupied all three top spots.

The ranking shows improved performances from some of the world’s fast-developing economies — including China and Russia.

QS attributes such progress to high levels of national investment and dedicated programs.

“Based on a strongly identifiable pattern, it seems clear that institutions and systems with consistent or improving funding are gaining ground,” the head of QS research, Ben Sowter, stated.