China's Bank of Communications (BOCOM) have collaborated with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) to provide an innovative means of ranking international education destinations around the world. The resulting Sea Turtle index accounts for and talies educational returns; real estate returns; financial returns; work experience; and social experience in cities around the world. 

And if you're wondering why it's called the Sea Turtle Index - it's because in China, a 'Sea Turtle' is the term for a graduate who has been educated abroad and experienced international cultural immersion, and as a result is highly coveted by employers back in their home country. 

The overall rankings were obtained through averaging the individual components of the survey, listed above. Here were the results:

1. Montreal
2. London
3. Hong Kong
4. Toronto
5. Cambridge
6. Oxford
7. Boston
8. Sydney
9. Zurich
10. New York

You can read more about the Sea Turtle Index rankings for 2013 here.

Tags: BOCOM EIU Sea Turtle Index 2013, City rankings for higher education, Canada, Study abroad