UAE universities rise in global rankings, led by Khalifa University
UAE's Khalifa University has soared 30 places to rank 846th globally, placing it in the top four per cent of universities worldwide.
That's according to the 2025 edition of the Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), which shows how the UAE has strengthened its global academic standing, with four of its universities making significant gains in this year's edition.
This year's CWUR report highlights a notable improvement in research performance as the key driver behind the rise of UAE institutions in the global standings.
United Arab Emirates University follows closely, climbing 91 places to 1,022nd in the top 4.8 per cent, while the University of Sharjah jumps 161 spots to rank 1,092nd in the top 5.1 per cent.
New York University Abu Dhabi is also featured at 1,116th standing among the top 5.2 per cent.
What is helping UAE climb the academic ladder?
The UAE's ongoing investment in research and education infrastructure appears to be paying off — marking a clear signal of ambition to become a leading hub for higher education in the region and beyond.
CWUR analysed over 74 million outcome-based data points across four key performance indicators: quality of education (25 per cent), employability (25 per cent), faculty quality (10 per cent), and research output (40 per cent). Of the 21,462 institutions assessed, only the top 2,000 qualified for the published list, spanning 94 countries.
Dr Nadim Mahassen, President of CWUR, said, 'With four of its institutions in the rankings, the United Arab Emirates is well represented among the world's top universities. Further financial backing, and placing the development of education and science higher on its agenda will allow the country to be even more competitive in the rapidly evolving global academic landscape.'
He added, 'While the United States still boasts the top universities in the world, the decline of the vast majority of its higher education institutions should be of concern to US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the wider Trump administration."
'At a time when Chinese universities are reaping the rewards of years of generous financial support from their government, American institutions are grappling with slashed federal funding and disputes over academic freedom and free speech. With the United States surpassed by China as the country with the most representatives in the rankings, its reputation in the global higher education sector is under serious threat.'
Mahassen added, 'The sharp decline of US universities parallels that of institutions in Japan, France, and Germany, while UK and Russian universities have fared only slightly better. With the extraordinary rise of Chinese institutions, universities in the Western world cannot afford to stand still and rest on their laurels.'
Global highlights
Harvard University, a prestigious member of the Ivy League, has once again secured the top spot in university rankings for the 14th consecutive year. This achievement comes even as the university faces a contentious proposal from the Trump administration aimed at blocking it from admitting international students.
The US government has also criticized Harvard for allegedly failing to adequately address anti-Semitism and for its admissions policies, claims the university firmly denies.
MIT and Stanford University follow closely behind, securing the second and third spots in the rankings, respectively.
The University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford top the list of public institutions globally, ranking 4th and 5th respectively.
While the US dominates the top ten with eight entries, its overall performance shows signs of decline, with only 40 of its 319 listed universities improving and 264 dropping in rank -- down from 329 last year.
Canada features 38 universities, with the University of Toronto leading at 23rd place. Europe, despite having 621 institutions in the Global 2000, also sees widespread declines; in the UK, only 16 universities improved while 67 dropped in rank, with similar downward trends observed in France, Germany, and Russia.
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