@Miller,
Quote:based on research impact, reputation, and global scholarship.
Top 10 universities for 'research', reputation of veracity, and global scholarships?
So:
1. University of Oxford
2. California Institute of Technology
3. Stanford University
4. University of Cambridge
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
6. Harvard University
7. Princeton University
8. Imperial College London
9. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
10. Tie: University of California, Berkeley and University of Chicago
Oxford University ranked number 1 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for the third year running, and at the heart of this success is our ground-breaking research and innovation.
University of Oxford Initiates Research on Endocrinology of Human Lactation
is an example.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/research?wssl=1
California Institute of Technology
Caltech:
RESEARCH
Top-caliber scientists and engineers lead breakthrough research that shifts paradigms, launches new fields, creates technologies, and benefits society.
http://www.caltech.edu/content/research
So if 'research' is your interest, these would be the top 10.