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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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November 15 2023
Best universities in the Middle East and North Africa

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Top 10 universities in the Arab World 2023

Arab Rank 2023  Arab rank 2022 University Country/region
1 2 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Saudi Arabia
2 5 Khalifa University United Arab Emirates
3 3 Qatar University Qatar
 =4 6 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Saudi Arabia
 =4 9 University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates
6 25 King Khalid University Saudi Arabia
7  =7 United Arab Emirates University United Arab Emirates
8 4 Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University Saudi Arabia
9 39 Abu Dhabi University United Arab Emirates
10  =7 King Saud University Saudi Arabia

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.

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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

Arab Rank 2023  Arab rank 2022 University Country/region
1 2 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Saudi Arabia
2 5 Khalifa University United Arab Emirates
3 3 Qatar University Qatar
 =4 6 King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Saudi Arabia
 =4 9 University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates
6 25 King Khalid University Saudi Arabia
7  =7 United Arab Emirates University United Arab Emirates
8 4 Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University Saudi Arabia
9 39 Abu Dhabi University United Arab Emirates
10  =7 King Saud University Saudi Arabia
11 61–70 Zayed University United Arab Emirates
12 11 Beirut Arab University Lebanon
13 13 American University of Beirut Lebanon
14  =15 Al Ain University United Arab Emirates
15 1 King Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia
 =16 21 University of Jordan Jordan
 =16 37 Lebanese American University Lebanon
18 14 Mansoura University Egypt
 =19  =15 American University in Cairo Egypt
 =19  =15 King Faisal University Saudi Arabia
21 18 American University of the Middle East Kuwait
22 26 Sultan Qaboos University Oman
23  =43 Jordan University of Science and Technology Jordan
24  =33 Qassim University Saudi Arabia
25  =40 University of Tunis El Manar Tunisia
26 27 Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Saudi Arabia
27  =30 American University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates
 =28 51–60 Ajman University United Arab Emirates
 =28  =33 Cairo University Egypt
 =28 45 King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Saudi Arabia
31 23 Alexandria University Egypt
32 24 Al-Azhar University Egypt
33 32 Ain Shams University Egypt
34  =19 Jouf University Saudi Arabia
35  =19 Umm Al-Qura University Saudi Arabia
36 29 Assiut University Egypt
37 12 Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Saudi Arabia
38 28 Tanta University Egypt
39  =43 University of Sfax Tunisia
40 46 University of Baghdad Iraq
41  =40 Lebanese University Lebanon
42 36 Zagazig University Egypt
43 61–70 Mohammed V University of Rabat Morocco
44 51–60 Alfaisal University Saudi Arabia
45 42 Northern Border University Saudi Arabia
 =46 51–60 Kuwait University Kuwait
 =46 61–70 Yarmouk University Jordan
48 10 Zewail City of Science and Technology Egypt
49  =30 Kafrelsheikh University Egypt
 =50 61–70 Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth Lebanon
 =50 51–60 University of Technology, Iraq Iraq

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