The Global Language Monitor's TrendTopper MediaBuzz rankings measure the brand equity of 210 universities and 200 colleges, using data from social media, the blogosphere, and more than 175,000 print and electronic media outlets.
It's the first time a technological institution has come in first in the rankings, conducted every nine months. MIT propelled itself to the top through the announcement of its OpenCourseWare program, which allows students around the world to take advantage of MIT course offerings and earn certificates, free of charge.
"The higher education world is in the midst of a major upheaval that has only begun to sort itself out," said Paul JJ Payack, Global Language Monitor president. "You can't have an institution of MIT's stature give away its product for free, or millions of students opting for on-line schools or educations provided by for-profit organization, and of course the globalization of higher ed and not record significant change."
The top 10 was rounded out by the University of Chicago, Columbia, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell, UCLA, Stanford, Yale and University of Texas-Austin.
The complete ranking of the top 25 are listed below.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Harvard University
3. University of Chicago
4. Columbia University
5. University of Wisconsin - Madison
6. Cornell University
7. University of California - Los Angeles
8. Stanford University
9. Yale University
10. University of Texas - Austin
11. University of Washington
12. University of Pennsylvania
13. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
14. University of California - Berkeley
15. Princeton University
16. Ohio State University - Columbus
17. University of California - Davis
18. Indiana University - Bloomington
19. Virginia Tech
20. New York University
21. Duke University
22. University of California - San Diego
23. Georgia Institute of Technology
24. Johns Hopkins University
25. University of Virginia
Which universities to do you hear a lot of buzz about online? Sound off in the comments.
BONUS: Top 10 Social Media-Savvy Universities
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