Best universities in the Arab World 2023
Explore the top universities in the Arab world according to the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings 2023
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Top 10 universities in the Arab World 2023
If you’re considering studying at a university in the Arab region, the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings 2023 will be a useful resource for you.
Overall, 207 universities across 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa are ranked. A further 106 institutions are listed with “reporter” status, meaning that they provided data but did not meet our eligibility criteria for inclusion in the league table.
The top university is King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in Saudi Arabia. All the universities in the top five are in the Middle East, while universities situated in North Africa – including universities in Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria – feature further down the list.
The most represented country in the ranking is Egypt, with 37 universities altogether. Algeria is next, with 35 institutions.
Many of the universities featured in the ranking are specialist science and technology universities.
The full methodology of the Arab University Ranking 2023 can be viewed here.
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The top five universities in the Arab world
=4. University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
The University of Sharjah was established in 1997. It is a private, national, co-educational university situated in University City, Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates.
The university is made up of 14 colleges including pharmacy, sciences, engineering, business administration, law and medicine among others.
There are several research centres at the university including the Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, the Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, and the Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences.
=4. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia
KFUPM was first established in 1963 as the College of Petroleum and Minerals to provide education about petroleum and minerals, two of the most valuable natural resources in Saudi Arabia.
It was elevated to university status in 1975 and has since expanded its course offerings to cover science, engineering, technology and business.
The admissions process is very competitive, with an acceptance rate of less than 10 per cent.
3. Qatar University, Qatar
This is a public university located in the city of Doha in Qatar.
It is home to 10 colleges, including arts and sciences, business and economics, engineering and law. The university offers 47 bachelor’s, 29 master’s and 20 PhD programmes, as well as nine diplomas and a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programme. Courses at the university are taught in both Arabic and English.
Students can benefit from a range of amenities on campus, including a library, male and female student activities buildings, a student learning support centre and the student counselling centre.
2. Khalifa University, United Arab Emirates
Khalifa University covers teaching and research in science, engineering and medicine across three colleges, three research institutes, 18 research centres and 36 academic departments.
The university, located in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, was founded in 2007.
The average class size at Khalifa University is 15 students, ensuring an excellent student-to-staff ratio.
1. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a relatively young university, having been established in 2009.
The university is the first mixed-gender campus to be located in Saudi Arabia.
As the name would suggest, teaching and learning are focused on science and technology, with courses available in bioengineering, computer science, statistics, earth science and engineering, and many other areas.
The official language of instruction is English.
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Top universities in the Arab world 2023
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results
