The Association of Arab Universities announces the results of the 2023 Arab University Rankings

Professor Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, announced the first edition of the 2023 Arab University Rankings. The rankings are the result of the combined efforts of the Association of Arab Universities, in cooperation with the League of Arab States, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), and the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils.

Dr. Amr Salama pointed out that the goal of the new Arab-International Ranking is to improve the outcomes of higher education and scientific research, enabling them to lead Arab development and enable Arab universities to reach the third and fourth generation of universities. He also noted that the ranking aims to create an international ranking in the Arab world with modern standards that keep pace with the requirements of the Arab world, alongside other international university rankings. He added that the ranking relies on accuracy and objectivity through several indicators and criteria that evaluate the university's comprehensive functions, including the quality of teaching and learning, the excellence of faculty members (which helps develop a work program for reform and development), scientific research, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation (so that the ranking has an economic dimension to its application and aims to encourage scientific research based on creativity, development, and innovation in universities, and to encourage the marketing and dissemination of scientific products and technology management, to achieve a knowledge economy), in addition to the indicator of international and local cooperation in the Arab region and community service.

Dr. Amr Salama explained that the number of universities that applied for evaluation amounted to 208 universities, of which 115 universities were included in the classification, representing 16 countries out of a total of 22 countries of the League of Arab States. These countries were ranked according to the number of universities that applied as follows: Egypt (28), Iraq (19), Jordan (18), Yemen (10), Palestine (8), Libya (8), Saudi Arabia (7), Tunisia (4), Syria (3), United Arab Emirates (2), Morocco (2), Lebanon (2), Bahrain (1), Algeria (1), Somalia (1), Kuwait (1). The first edition of the classification was dedicated to classifying a number of Arab universities, and it is planned to launch the classification of international universities in its upcoming editions.

Dr. Amr Salama revealed the basic conditions met by the universities included in the classification, which are to be educational and research universities. The classification has composite indicators that combine four main evaluation performance indicators, each of which has nine sub-performance criteria: 1) The main performance indicator “Teaching and Learning” with a percentage of (30%), b) The main performance indicator “Scientific Research” with a percentage of (30%), c) The main performance indicator “Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (20%), d) The main performance indicator “International and Local Cooperation and Community Service” (20%).

The ranking results have been announced at the link:  

https://aaru-ranking.azurewebsites.net/

King Saud University topped the list of Arab universities, followed by Cairo University, United Arab Emirates University, Ain Shams University, Mansoura University, Sharjah University, King Khalid University, Sfax University, Alexandria University, and Zagazig University. Finally, Dr. Amr Salama thanked the Arab universities that participated in the ranking.