Twenty Arab universities are included in the top 1,000 rankings compiled by a Spanish public research body. This assessment covers over 33,500 universities worldwide, with a focus on their online presence and impact.
The Webometrics ranking system assesses universities based on various criteria and aims to facilitate the dissemination of academic knowledge by encouraging robust web representation of institutional activities.
According to Webometrics, universities can enhance their ranking by improving the quality and quantity of their online content. The Cybermetrics Lab at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas in Spain publishes these rankings biannually.
In the most recent edition, the top 1,000 universities globally featured 20 institutions from the Arab region. Saudi Arabia led the Arab representation with eight universities, followed by Egypt with five, the United Arab Emirates with three, and Jordan, Qatar, and Lebanon with one each.
Among the leading Arab universities were King Saud University, King Abdulaziz University, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology from Saudi Arabia. Additionally, institutions like Alexandria University in Egypt, Qatar University, and the University of Jordan made notable appearances in the rankings.
The Gulf states were well-represented, with twelve universities in the top 20 from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Noteworthy mentions include Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University and Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University from Saudi Arabia, along with institutions like Hamad Bin Khalifa University from Qatar.
In Egypt and the Levant region, universities like the American University in Cairo, Al Balqa Applied University in Jordan, and the American University of Beirut in Lebanon stood out for their global rankings.
North African countries like Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya also had several universities featured in the rankings, highlighting their presence in the academic landscape.
In contrast, Western universities dominated the top positions, with institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology leading the charts. The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge from the UK, along with the University of Toronto from Canada, were among the top-ranking non-American universities.
Overall, the Webometrics rankings provide valuable insights into the global academic landscape, showcasing the diversity and excellence of universities worldwide.