Click here to view the top 10 universities in the Arab region in 2018.
This year sees the launch of the second edition of the QS University Rankings: Arab Region, after its pilot release in 2014. Developed using a methodology designed to reflect regional priorities and challenges, the ranking now features the top 100 universities in the Arab world.
See below for a look at the top 10 institutions in this year’s QS University Rankings: Arab Region, including addition information on each university’s overall position in the QS World University Rankings® 2014/15 and strongest subject areas, based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015.
1. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
Location: Saudi Arabia
The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM, 225th in the world rankings) takes pride of place at the top of the QS University Rankings: Arab Region 2015. It’s currently ranked 225th internationally, according to the QS World University Rankings® 2014/15. Established in 1963, the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals is located in the city of Dhahran, an important center for Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, and has a current enrollment of more than 7,000 students. As applies to a number of universities in Saudi Arabia, KFUPM is open to male students only.
Despite its name, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in fact offers courses in a wide array of subjects, covering traditional disciplines as well as fields of engineering, science and business. In the QS World University Ranking by Subject 2015, the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals features within eight subjects, including chemistry, chemical engineering, civil & structural engineering, computer science, electrical & electronic engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering and statistics.
2. American University of Beirut (AUB)
Location: Lebanon
A private secular university located in the capital of Lebanon, the American University of Beirut is the highest ranked of the 11 Lebanese universities featured in the Arab region ranking, and is currently ranked 249= in the overall world rankings. Offering bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs, along with professional qualifications such as the MD (Doctor of Medicine), the American University of Beirut currently enrolls just under 6,800 undergraduates and 1,600 graduates, with as many as 2,000 students hailing from overseas.
The American University of Beirut is highly reputed for civil & structural engineering, having featured in the 2014 subject rankings for this discipline. In the most recent edition, however, AUB only features in the subject rankings for medicine.
3. King Saud University
Location: Saudi Arabia
Ranked alongside AUB at joint 249th in the latest QS World University Rankings, King Saud University is second in the list of top universities in Saudi Arabia. Established in 1957, King Saud University offers a slightly broader spectrum of world-class programs, with international rankings for more subjects than rival KFUPM. The school is located in the capital city of Riyadh, and is currently home to a total of 51,000 students, of which more than 1,100 are internationals. Unlike KFUPM, it accepts both female and male students.
King Saud University features among the world’s top universities in 13 subjects this year – agriculture & forestry, biological sciences, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil & structural engineering, computer science, education & training, electrical & electronic engineering, linguistics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine and pharmacy & pharmacology.
4. King Abdulaziz University (KAU)
Location: Saudi Arabia
Universities in Saudi Arabia take three out of four of the Arab region’s top spots, with KFUPM and King Saud University joined by King Abdulaziz University (KAU), which is placed 334th in the latest world rankings. Founded in 1967 and with more than 42,000 students, King Abdulaziz University offers separate campuses for men and women. These are both located in the city of Jeddah, and designed by well-known English architect John Elliott.
This year, King Abdulaziz University features in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for computer science, mathematics and mechanical engineering. The school also offers faculties in a wide range of subject areas, including art and design, humanities, sciences, medicine, pharmacy, business, law and dentistry. As well as offering a range of on-campus undergraduate and graduate programs, King Abdulaziz University also teaches a distance learning program.
5. American University in Cairo
Location: Egypt
Ranked 360th in the overall world rankings, the American University in Cairo is the highest ranked of all universities in Egypt, coming fifth in the entire Arab region. A non-profit, liberal arts school, the American University in Cairo teaches its programs in English and offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs to an international student body hailing from more than 100 different countries. Located in capital city Cairo on a 7.8 acre downtown campus, the American University in Cairo is currently home to almost 5,300 undergraduates and 1,300 graduates.
In this year’s newly launched ranking of the world’s top universities for development studies, the American University in Cairo ranks an impressive 43rd. It also features among the world’s top 250 schools for modern languages.
6. United Arab Emirates University
Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The leader of all UAE universities this year is the United Arab Emirates University, ranked 6th in the Arab region and 385th in the overall world rankings. Although only established in 1975, the United Arab Emirates University is the oldest of three government-sponsored UAE universities, offering research-intensive undergraduate and graduate programs across business, education, science, engineering, food and agriculture, humanities, social sciences, law, medicine and IT. Of the 14,000 students registered at the school in 2014, 77% were female. Most students hail from within the UAE, while 15% come from other Gulf countries.
Although not featured in the 2015 subject rankings, the United Arab Emirates University has been previously ranked in 2014 for accounting & finance.
7. American University of Sharjah
Location: UAE
Established as recently as 1997, the American University of Sharjah is another of the top UAE universities, ranked 7th in the region and 390th in the world rankings. Independent and not-for-profit, the American University of Sharjah differs from other UAE universities in following the US model of higher education, and currently enrolls upwards of 5,500 students from 82 different countries at its campus in the city of Sharjah. While the majority of students are enrolled in engineering courses, other available programs include architecture, art & design, arts & sciences and business administration.
Despite not being featured in the 2015 subject rankings, the American University of Sharjah is highly reputed for its English language & literature programs.
8. University of Jordan
Location: Jordan
The largest and oldest of all universities in Jordan, having been established in 1962, the University of Jordan ranks 8th in the Arab region and in the 651-700 range in the overall world rankings. Located within the student city of Amman, where a number of universities in Jordan are based, the University of Jordan has a current student body of over 32,000 undergraduates plus 3,500 graduate students.
Although the University of Jordan is not featured in the latest subject rankings, the school has a strong academic focus on the life sciences, offering faculties of dentistry, medicine, pharmacy and nursing, in addition to programs in the arts and humanities, business, law, engineering and technology, IT and agriculture.
9. Cairo University
Location: Egypt
Established in 1908, Cairo University is the second-oldest of all universities in Egypt and the second-highest ranked university in Cairo. It’s currently placed within the 551-600 range in the overall world rankings. Also one of the largest public universities in Egypt, the school currently has an enrollment of over 155,000 students across 22 faculties, across arts, science, agriculture, IT, engineering, medicine and business. In addition, Cairo University offers schools of law and medicine, a center for Arabic language and culture, and an institute of African research and studies.
Cairo University is featured in eight subjects in our latest subject rankings – it places among the world’s best for chemistry, civil & structural engineering, computer science, electrical & electronic engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine and pharmacy & pharmacology.
10. Jordan University of Science and Technology
Location: Jordan
The second of the two universities in Jordan featured within the world rankings, the Jordan University of Science and Technology ranks 10th in the Arab region and 651-700 in the world. Located in the outskirts of Irbid in the city of Ar Ramtha in northern Jordan, the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), is most often recognized for its technical programs, in particular within engineering, science, technology and the life sciences (including medicine, pharmacy and dentistry).
At present, the Jordan University of Science and Technology has a student body of over 22,000, comprised of over 5,000 internationals of 61 different nationalities, making it one of the most culturally diverse universities in Jordan.
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