RIYADH: King Saud University has achieved the 197th position among the top universities in the world, according to the latest ranking of universities posted on www.webometrics.info
This achievement is spectacular as the university had a 3,259th rank in 2007. But between 2008 and 2009, the ranking grew to 380. Academicians in the Kingdom have termed it a big achievement.
The university occupies the first position in the group of universities in the Arab and Islamic world.
It took the giant leap to the rank of top 200 universities with ceaseless efforts over the past two years by stressing academic excellence and research in nanotechnology, improving faculties, attracting Nobel laureates, launching the Riyadh Valley for Technology and advanced laboratories, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The ranking list is published twice a year and covers more than 17,000 higher education institutions worldwide.
The other universities featuring in the ranking list are: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in 303rd place, Imam Muhammad bin Saud University at the 636th, King Faisal University at the 993rd position and King Abdulaziz University at 1,072.
King Saud University was established in October 1957 as the first university in the Kingdom. Its current president is Abdullah bin Abdurrahman Al-Othman.
