RIYADH: Saudi Arabian universities dominated the latest Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings, with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology securing first place for a second consecutive year.
Sharing the results, the Times Higher Education portal said that Saudi Arabia is number one in the 2024 rankings, with the Kingdom claiming all top three places and five universities in the top 10.
“KAUST is number one in the Arab region, thanks to strong performances in the research environment, society, and research quality pillars,” a statement on the portal said.
Following the announcement, KAUST said that the achievement highlights the university’s rapid development under its Accelerating Impact Strategy announced last year.
The top ranking also reflects the university’s “commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals, especially in enhancing the global profile of educational institutions in Saudi Arabia.”
KAUST President Edward Byrne said: “Achieving this distinction for a second consecutive year is a definitive affirmation of KAUST’s exceptional impact.
“It cements our standing as a global hub for innovation and knowledge, elevating Saudi Arabia’s profile on the world stage. This back-to-back success, made possible by everyone at KAUST, underscores our transformative role in shaping a future defined by scientific and technological leadership.”
Consecutive top spots following a second placing in 2022 highlight KAUST’s leadership in Arab and global academic communities.
This follows KAUST’s recent achievement of leading the Middle East with 14 faculty members recognized in the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list 2024, reinforcing the university’s research-driven global impact.
Following KAUST in the Times Higher Education rankings, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals is ranked second, King Saud University third, King Abdulaziz University fifth, and King Khalid University 10th.
Jordan entered the top 10 for the first time with the University of Jordan in ninth position, while Egypt rejoined the top 10 with Cairo University in eighth place.
Gulf states were also strongly represented, with Qatar University ranked fourth, and Khalifa University and United Arab Emirates University ranked sixth and seventh, respectively.
Iraq is now the most-represented country with 45 ranked institutions.
The UAE’s average overall score of 64 is the highest in the region, based on countries with at least 10 universities ranked.
This year the Times Higher Education survey ranked a record 238 universities or institutions — up from 207 last year — from 16 countries or territories. Syria also made its debut in the ranking.
“The methodology is based on the same framework as our World University Rankings, but some adjustments have been made and some new metrics have been included to reflect the features and missions of universities in the Middle East and North Africa,” Times Higher Education said.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, published annually since 2004, is based on 13 performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across four areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.
