Doha: Qatar University (QU), Qatar’s primary institution of higher education, has been ranked second in the Times Higher Education (THE) Arab University Rankings 2021 and second in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Arab Region University Rankings 2022, said a press release from QU on Thursday.
QU also ranks among the top 600 universities globally according to the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, the statement added.
According to the release, QU has made countless achievements and realised impressive results in rankings, including the recipient of the QS Quacquarelli Symonds internationalisation award, due to its global impact in 2022. The award is based on a score for "internationalisation"—the average of international student ratio, international faculty ratio, and international research network.
QS World University Rankings had ranked QU 208 in the latest 2023 edition which is an improvement of 16 places from the previous year. In addition, QU continues to place among the top six universities in the International Outlook indicator, for the seventh year in a row, according to the overall THE World University Rankings. QU is also among the Global Top 25 performers, in the U-Multirank 2021 indicator ‘international joint publications’.
Commenting on the accomplishment, QU President Dr. Hassan Al-Derham said, "We are proud of the advanced positions achieved recently by the university in international rankings of academic institutions, which positively reflect the prestigious global position Qatar University has reached with the help of its faculty, students, researchers, and staff. We are on the path of excellence and raising the bar, which leads to more global positions. "
Cesar Wazen, Director of the International Affairs Office at QU, said, "There has been tremendous progress by Qatar University, signifying its competitiveness at a local and global level. The university has been supported by an ambitious strategy aiming to transform higher education in the country, prioritizing research excellence and focusing on students. Our excellence in international research outlook across three rankings using different methodologies also means that QU is making full use of the support it gets from the State of Qatar, especially through the generous research funds. "
QU Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Dr. Khalid Al-Khanji, said, "At the start of a new academic year, it’s important to reflect on QU’s most recent accomplishments, noting the hard work and efforts that have gone into receiving these accolades. It is also worth noting that the coming year is a unique one. Qatar will be hosting the World Cup, giving our faculty, community, and students a wealth of opportunities, and I look forward to further achievements. The university has also launched a new college, The College of Nursing, as well as a number of new programs and projects this year that will only help boost our rankings further up the charts.
This semester, QU welcomed 28,000 students, including 4,700 new students, on the first day of the new academic year. This academic year comes on the cusp of Qatar hosting one of the most important global events in the region, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in which QU plays an important role, including conducting research, seminars, consultations, and hosting some of the international teams participating in it. It will represent an exceptional year for the university.
