NUS has been rated 18th in a new global ranking of universities by The Times of London, a highly influential national newspaper. Published in The Times Higher Education Supplement (The Times Higher) on 5 November 2004, the World University Rankings lists the top 200 universities around the world. The table below shows the top 20.

The league table is based on a survey of 1,300 academics in 88 countries across 5 continents. The respondents were asked to name the best universities in their academic fields of expertise. Other objective criteria used in the ranking were the amount of cited research produced by faculty members (used as an indicator of intellectual vitality), the faculty-to-student ratio, a university's success in attracting foreign students and internationally renowned academics in the global education market.

Responding to the news, NUS President Professor Shih Choon Fong said: "I am delighted with this global endorsement of NUS! At the end of October, the Singapore Straits Times published data showing NUS as the university of choice amongst Singapore's JC students. Now, it is the turn of the academics worldwide to submit their assessment. NUS' ranking among the world's top universities affirms its goal of being a leading global university."

A The Times of London news report on the global ranking quoted John O'Leary, The Times Higher's Editor, as saying: "Leading universities increasingly define themselves in terms of international competition. By taking account of the views of academics from across five continents and using the most up-to-date statistics, our ranking gives an informed picture of the world’s top universities."