Malaysian, Saudi varsities among world’s top 100

By Sibte Arif
July 01, 2025

DUBAI: Two universities from the Muslim world have been ranked among the top 100 in the World University Rankings. The QS World University Rankings 2026, featuring over 1,500 institutions from more than 100 countries, highlight significant shifts in global higher education.

Universities from the Muslim world and Asia have demonstrated remarkable progress, while the US continues to hold its leading position. Malaysia’s University of Malaya secured the 58th position, while Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals ranked 67th globally.

The rankings reflect significant progress by academic institutions in Muslim-majority countries, with Qatar University ranking 112 and the UAE’s Khalifa University at 177. Indonesia’s University of Indonesia claimed the 189th spot, while Kazakhstan’s Al-Farabi Kazakh National University ranked 166.

In comparison, Israel’s Tel Aviv University was ranked 223, showcasing the region’s diverse academic performance.

Middle East Technical University in Turkey ranked 269, while Iran’s University of Tehran stood at 322. Sultan Qaboos University in Oman was ranked 334, followed by Jordan University at 324.