The UAE has been acknowledged as the most improved higher education system in the Arab region, according to the QS World University Rankings: Arab Region 2026 released on Thursday.
This year, 15 universities from the UAE are featured in the rankings, with nine advancing in positions, one maintaining its spot, and four slipping.
The University of Fujairah makes its entry in the 151–160 band.
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Impressive presence in the top 20
The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, continues to lead the region’s academic landscape. Both countries boast three universities in the top 10 and six in the top 20 — double the number of any other nation.
Khalifa University climbed one spot to third place, reaching its highest position ever, fueled by enhanced academic and employer reputation scores.
United Arab Emirates University retained its fifth place, while the American University of Sharjah moved up to ninth.
The University of Sharjah also made a significant jump, entering the top 20 for the first time at fourteenth place.
UAE excels in internationalisation
Dr Ashwin Fernandes, QS Executive Director for AMESA, stated, “This year’s Arab Region Rankings are our most comprehensive to date and continue to be a vital comparative resource for students, higher education leaders, and policymakers. The results highlight the persistent leadership of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, whose universities are cementing their roles as regional leaders and setting new standards for excellence in higher education.”
He added, “The United Arab Emirates shines in internationalisation, with institutions like Al Ain University and The British University in Dubai ranking among the region’s most international universities. QS data predicts that international student interest in the UAE will continue to rise, with total numbers expected to reach nearly 120,000 by the end of the decade.”
Rapid advancement across the board
The UAE achieved the highest overall system-wide improvement among Arab nations, with a 33 percent improvement rate.
Progress was strongest in employer reputation, followed by web impact and international student ratio. In QS’s internationalisation indicators, nine of the region’s top 10 universities for international faculty are located in the UAE, while seven Emirati universities are in the top 10 for international students.
Top UAE performers in the 2026 ranking
The leading UAE universities in this year’s rankings are Khalifa University in third place, followed by United Arab Emirates University in fifth, American University of Sharjah in ninth, Abu Dhabi University in eleventh, Ajman University in twelfth, and the University of Sharjah in fourteenth position.
