Established in 1973, Qatar University is a public institution that offers numerous courses and diverse majors.

Qatar University made it to the list of top 10 universities in the Arab world on Tuesday, as per the 2023 Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities.

The Qatari university was placed as the tenth-best higher education institution in a list that was largely dominated by Saudi entities. Riyadh’s King Saud University topped the rankings, while fifth-ranked Cairo University was the only non-Gulf entity that made it to the list.

The independent rating is based on six indicators including the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, the number of cited researchers, the total articles published in journals of Nature and Science among other factors.

The Shanghai ranking analyses more than 2,5000 universities and lists the best 1,000 institutions.

American and European universities conquered the overall list and no Arab entity made it to the top 100 rankings. Qatar University, Doha’s oldest and largest, fell between the top 501-600 on a global scale.

This comes just weeks after Qatar University made it to the top 200 institutions in the world after climbing to the 173rd spot in the QS World Rankings 2024.

“We have made significant progress in the QS World Universities Rankings, ranked 173rd for this year, despite changes in ranking methodology,” said President of the institution Omar Al Ansari, as quoted by the Qatar News Agency.

“This is a great reflection of the success we have achieved and really illustrates QU’s vast contributions and dedication to excellence,” Al Ansari added.

Qatar’s educational growth

Established in 1973, Qatar University is a public institution that offers numerous courses and diverse majors, including arts and sciences, business and economics, engineering, law, and medicine.

The Gulf state adopted a draft law in April that only allows the top 300 universities globally to establish branches in Qatar as the country expands its educational offerings.

This year, the Gulf nation allocated 9% of its overall budget to education, slightly higher than the allotment made in 2022, per figures published by Alpen Capital in its most recent report ‘GCC Education Industry‘.

“The Qatari government has consistently demonstrated its commitment to support education through its budget statements. The allocation of funds aligns with the nation’s objective to enhance the education sector through the expansion and advancement of schools and educational institutions,” the report said.

Meanwhile, Qatar has recorded the second most substantial increase in student enrolment among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9% from 2016 to 2021.