Prince of Asir Hosts the Honoring Ceremony for Arab Universities Participating in the 2024 Arab University Ranking at King Khalid University

His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Asir Region and Chairman of the Regional Development Authority, Hosted the honoring ceremony for universities participating in the second Arab university ranking. The event was attended by the Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, H.E. Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama.

Prince Turki welcomed the Arab guests from the Association of Arab Universities, emphasizing the importance of recognizing academic excellence. He praised King Saud University for achieving first place in the Arab ranking and King Khalid University for securing the fifth position overall and the second among Saudi universities.

Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, expressed his honor in attending this prestigious event, which celebrates universities that have excelled in the second Arab university ranking. The ranking was launched by the Association of Arab Universities in collaboration with the Arab League and the Arab Organization for Education, Culture, and Science, with King Khalid University in Abha as the host.

He added, "University rankings have become a key reference for governments and policymakers in assessing universities and formulating educational development plans. Companies also use them to select academic partners, while students rely on them to choose suitable educational institutions. Furthermore, inclusion in global rankings has become a prerequisite for some education ministries when approving partnerships or establishing university branches."

Dr. Salama continued, "There are over 30,000 universities and higher education institutes across 238 countries, with thousands being evaluated and ranked annually through nearly 20 international rankings. This underscores the urgent need for an Arab-specific ranking that reflects our cultural and academic uniqueness while aligning with global standards amidst intense competition and labor market demands."

He noted that 373 universities from 16 Arab countries applied for the second Arab university ranking—an increase of 165 institutions compared to the first edition—of which 180 universities successfully met the ranking requirements.

The President of King Khalid University, Dr. Faleh bin Raja Allah Al-Sulami, highlighted that the 2024 Arab university ranking represents a significant step toward fostering integration among Arab universities and opening new avenues for collaboration, particularly in light of global challenges that underscore the importance of joint efforts.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Prince Turki bin Talal honored the Arab universities included in the 2024 Arab ranking, particularly the top ten institutions:

• 10th place: University of Tunis El Manar
• 9th place: Taif University
• 8th place: Alexandria University
• 7th place: Mansoura University
• 6th place: Ain Shams University
• 5th place: King Khalid University
• 4th place: University of Sharjah
• 3rd place: United Arab Emirates University
• 2nd place: Cairo University
• 1st place: King Saud University

The ceremony, held at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia, was attended by representatives from the Arab League, university presidents, the Executive Director of the Association of Arab Universities, Prof. Anas Al-Saud, the Association’s Director of Administration, Lina Al-Bitar, as well as representatives from various organizations, institutions, and participating universities.