UAE universities surge in global rankings, lead in Arab region

ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)

Universities in the UAE have showcased remarkable progress in the QS World University Rankings for 2025, reflecting the country’s growing reputation as a hub for academic excellence and innovative research, in line with its broader strategic vision of transforming the higher education landscape into a globally competitive sector.

At the forefront of this upward trajectory is Khalifa University, which jumped to the 202nd position globally from 230th last year, securing its place as the 6th top university in the Arab region. The university also recorded a significant rise from 48.3 to 60.7 in the citations per faculty index, placing it in 3rd spot in the Gulf region.

This leap is backed by its Engineering - Petroleum programme, which stands 13th worldwide, as well as a bump up in its international research network score from 29.6 to 78.8, indicating an admirable increase in global collaboration, essential for addressing complex global challenges through shared knowledge.

Similarly, the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), which rose to 261st from 290th globally, continued to build on its heritage as the UAE’s oldest and largest educational institution. With an overall score improvement from 35.9 to 39.4, UAEU saw gains in both academic and employer reputation. The university’s international appeal and research capabilities are also on the rise, with its international research network jumping from 56.5 to 86.2.

•                                                 The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU)
  

• The University of Sharjah, too, has demonstrated noteworthy improvements, advancing from 465th to 434th globally. This improvement is marked by an enhanced academic reputation and a remarkable increase in citations per faculty, from 13.5 to 22. Following the trend of greater global engagement and efforts to elevate research quality, the university more than doubled score in international research collaboration compared to last year, securing the 5th spot among Gulf countries in this index.

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                                                                                              The University of Sharjah

Not to be overlooked, Ajman University’s jump from 551 to 477 highlighted a growing recognition in employer reputation, which soared from 34.7 to 42.2, indicating a strengthening perception among employers regarding the quality and employability of its graduates, a key metric for prospective students and their families.

Abu Dhabi University’s climb of 79 places, ranking 501st globally, positioned it within the top third of global universities. It also advanced in global employer reputation, where it improved by 100 places due to its efforts to align educational offerings with global business and industry standards.

Al Ain University, which moved up to the 552nd position, is another example of UAE universities’ strides towards comprehensive excellence. The university was also the first UAE recipient of the overall institutional 5 QS Stars Rating back in 2022, which it managed to retain in this year’s rankings as well.