The United Arab Emirates has strengthened its position as a regional powerhouse in higher education, securing the highest number of top-ranked universities in the 2026 QS Arab Region Rankings. Nine Emirati institutions made it to the Arab world’s top 25 — the most for any country — reaffirming the UAE’s growing influence in global academia.
In the 12th edition of the rankings, global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) evaluated 298 universities based on academic and employer reputation, research impact, internationalization, and faculty qualifications. The UAE’s performance stood out across all parameters, reflecting years of investment in quality education, research infrastructure, and global engagement.
Khalifa University of Science and Technology led the UAE’s representation, ranking third in the Arab world and first nationally. It was followed by the United Arab Emirates University in fifth place and the American University of Sharjah in ninth. Other UAE institutions in the top 25 include Abu Dhabi University (11th), Ajman University (12th), University of Sharjah (14th), Canadian University Dubai (21st), Zayed University (23rd), and Al Ain University (25th).
Emirati universities also excelled in internationalization metrics, achieving multiple top-10 positions for proportions of international faculty and students. Khalifa University earned exceptional scores for its faculty-to-student ratio, research collaborations, and proportion of PhD-qualified academic staff. The United Arab Emirates University received strong recognition for its academic reputation and global research partnerships, while the American University of Sharjah secured the region’s highest employer reputation score, underscoring the demand for its graduates.
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Regionally, Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals topped the 2026 QS Arab Region Rankings, followed by Qatar University in second place. The UAE’s Khalifa University and United Arab Emirates University joined Saudi Arabia’s King Saud University in rounding out the top five. The remainder of the top 25 included leading institutions from Lebanon, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, and Kuwait — showcasing a dynamic and competitive higher education landscape across the Arab world.