UAE Unis Score on New Times MENA Rankings

Three UAE universities have made it into the first Times Higher Education rankings for the Mena region, with UAE University ranked in 11th place, American University of Sharjah 17th and the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi at 20th.

More information: For more, go here (external link to The Times site). The Top 30 may be found at the end of the article.

Phil Baty, editor of the THE World University Rankings, told UAE newspaper, The National "the pilot ranking is highly significant as it gives us an opportunity to start a serious, in-depth conversation about what range of performance indicators are needed to properly assess universities in the Mena region,."

Before universities get too worked up, it is worth noting that while most rankings are made up of a blend of criteria, the new TImes ranking looks at research alone - something that will not - directly at least - affect an undergraduate.

"This gives us a snapshot of the quality of research taking place in the region, and which universities are making the highest global effect in research," said Baty, acknowledging that while research was a key activity for a university, "it is not the only mission.

"Teaching is crucial, and of course, as is the third mission of working with industry.”

The World University Rankings  use 13 separate performance indicators to judge institutions across the full range of activities – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Baty said he would like to extend this formula to the Mena region, making it locally specific.

Eleven countries are featured in the Mena top 30 list, which Baty says shows that no single country is dominant in the field of research - although to be fair Egyptian universities do make up a third of the list.

Prof Mohamed Albaili, provost of UAEU, told The National newspaper the presence of three institutions in the rankings “puts the country on the international map”. He also said he hoped it would attract more high calibre students to the institution.

“I think we will receive better students and more of them, due to our advanced ranking. The better our ranking, the better the job market will receive our graduates too.”

Prof Rory Hume, provost at UAEU until two years ago and fellow of the Centre for Studies of Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley, said the rankings were a positive sign for the UAE. “The fact three institutions are ranked will encourage other universities and colleges in the Emirates to continue to strive and increase their quality and become ranked.”

MENA top 30 snapshot