(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

A majority of universities across the Middle East - including more than half of those in the UAE - have improved their performance in the latest QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026.

This reflects the region's accelerating push to align higher education with national climate and development goals.

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Released on Tuesday by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the 2026 edition assesses nearly 2,000 universities in 106 locations, making it the largest sustainability ranking of its kind.

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While Sweden's Lund University tops the global table for the first time, the standout story this year comes from the Arab Region, where 60 per cent of universities have risen in rank.

United Arab Emirates University takes the lead

The UAE records one of the region's strongest upward trajectories. Out of the country's 13 ranked universities, seven improved their position - a rise of 54 per cent. The United Arab Emirates University leads nationally, climbing to 318th, while Khalifa University features at 384th.

In the Social Impact lens, UAE institutions show particularly strong progress. United Arab Emirates University places 263rd, marking a 99-spot jump, and performs well in indicators linked to the country's long-term sustainability agenda, including education impact and employability.

The region-wide improvements reflect national policy momentum. As Leigh Kamolins, QS Director of Analytics and Evaluation, said,“Governments across the region have made ambitious plans to shift their economies in the face of the climate crisis, making this ranking all the more important.

"That might be Egypt's sustainability ambitions as part of the Egypt's Vision 2030, Jordan's Long-Term Low-carbon and Climate Resilient Strategy or the UAE's National Framework for Sustainable Development.”

Meanwhile, A total of 147 universities from the Arab Region are ranked this year, including 29 newcomers.

• Sixty-eight institutions improved their ranking - equal to 57 per cent of last year's entries.

• Lebanon shows the highest proportion of rising institutions which stands at 86 per cent.

• Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait also record 100 per cent or near-complete improvement rates.

Leading the Arab Region

The American University of Beirut once again leads the Arab Region, climbing from 205th to =176th, driven by strong performance in Environmental Education, Environmental Research and Employability & Outcomes.

King Abdulaziz University remains Saudi Arabia's top institution, entering the top 200 globally at 194th.“Universities across the Arab Region make outstanding improvements in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026," added Kamolin.

"KAU in Saudi Arabia enters the top 200 for the first time and AUB returns to the top 200, while institutions such as Lebanese American University, University of Jordan and The American University in Cairo enter the top 500.”

The ranking results align closely with the UAE's own sustainability transition - from the Net Zero 2050 Strategy to its ongoing investment in green research, innovation and education.

QS' data shows that UAE universities significantly outperform the regional average in Social Impact, a category that includes equality, knowledge exchange, the impact of teaching, employability and wellbeing.

In the Employability & Outcomes indicator, three UAE universities feature in the global top 300, underlining the strength of industry links and post-graduate pathways:

• United Arab Emirates University (176)

• Khalifa University (219)

While the region shows clear momentum overall, QS reports uneven performance in the Governance category - covering transparency, ethics and decision-making. Across the Arab Region:

• 79 universities dropped in governance metrics

• 39 improved

Still, several Middle Eastern institutions made notable gains. Qatar University rose six spots to rank 159th in Governance, while Cairo University surged 715 places to reach 141st.

Meanwhile, across the main categories:

• 72 institutions improved in Social Impact

• 67 improved in Environmental Impact

• Three Arab universities - AUB, Beirut Arab University and American University of the Middle East - now rank among the top 200 globally for Environmental Education.

Jessica Turner, CEO of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, said the ranking is designed to reinforce universities' role in tackling global sustainability challenges.“QS initially launched the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability in a bid to drive innovation and change that will support the fight against the climate crisis the world faces. Universities around the world remain committed to their climate ambitions, driving research and behaviour and informing policy and sustainable development. This ranking covers a range of sustainability measures, beyond environmental to equity & inclusion, equality, ethics and transparency.”

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