In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018, which university secured the top position in the global list?

Introduction / Context:
World university rankings such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings are widely used indicators of global academic reputation and research impact. These rankings compare institutions on teaching, research, citations, industry income and international outlook. Competitive exams often ask which university topped a particular year's global rankings to test awareness of international education and research trends. For the 2018 edition of the Times Higher Education list, the top spot was closely watched and widely reported in education news.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The ranking referred to is the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the year 2018.
We are asked which university secured the number one position globally.
Options include Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and University of Cambridge.
We assume that the candidate is expected to recall the global topper, not the top ranked Indian institution.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to remember that for several consecutive years around this period, the University of Oxford held the top position in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Cambridge also ranked very high, but usually at or near the second position. Leading Indian institutions such as IISc Bangalore and IIT Kanpur were ranked much lower in the global list and could not have been number one worldwide. Therefore, by comparing known positions, we can identify the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018 placed the University of Oxford at the top of the table. Step 2: Remember that the University of Cambridge generally appears close behind Oxford, often in the second or third position but not at number one for the specified year. Step 3: Note that Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and IIT Kanpur were the highest ranked Indian institutions in some subject areas but nowhere near the global number one spot. Step 4: Compare all options and recognise that only the University of Oxford matches the widely reported fact of being the top ranked university in the 2018 list. Step 5: Select the University of Oxford as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Education news articles, official Times Higher Education releases and exam oriented current affairs capsules all emphasised that Oxford retained its number one ranking in the 2018 edition. Cambridge, although very highly ranked, was listed slightly below Oxford. Indian institutions were mentioned mainly in the context of their improved yet still modest global positions. Checking these independent sources reinforces the conclusion that Oxford was indeed the global topper in that year's rankings.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and IIT Kanpur are premium Indian institutions but they do not feature near the very top of the global rankings. Listing them as possible answers is intended to test whether candidates can distinguish between national excellence and global rank one status. The University of Cambridge is an outstanding institution and a close competitor to Oxford, but according to the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, it did not hold the top spot that year. Therefore these options do not correctly answer the question.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to assume that Cambridge must have topped the list at least once and to mix up the years, leading to an incorrect choice. Another pitfall is to focus only on Indian institutions and mistakenly think that the question asks which Indian university topped among Indian entries in the ranking. Carefully reading the phrase topped the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018 and remembering that Oxford held the global number one position helps avoid this misunderstanding.

Final Answer:
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018, the top position went to the University of Oxford.