article is devoted to a comparative analysis of world-class technical universities (TUs) ranks in the International Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking 2021. The top-100 of QS-2021 includes only one Russian TUs, and there are no TUs of large industrial countries such as India and Brazil. Many Russian TUs were founded in the 30s of the last century, were related to certain industry ministries and have retained their narrow orientation up to the present time. However, the manufacturing of modern high-tech products (aircraft, robotics, electronics, medical equipment etc.) requires engineers to have knowledge from various fields of science (multidisciplinarity), supported by profound int erd isc iplina ry r esea rches. In add it ion, multidisciplinary TUs provide the opportunity for students to change their specialty or adjust it during their undergraduate and graduate studies. The analysis showed that leading positions in international rankings are occupied by multidisciplinary research TUs that conduct training and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of various scientificactivities. This study can be useful not only for Russia, but also for the transformation of TUs in other countries.