Abu Dhabi University Advances 43 Places to Rank 348th Globally in QS World University Rankings 2027

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has strengthened its position among the world's leading higher education institutions, advancing 43 places from the previous edition to rank 348th globally in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2027. Recognized among 8,808 institutions across 106 locations worldwide, ADU’s achievement reflects its continued progress in academic excellence, research impact, and graduate employability.

ADU ranked fifth among top universities in the UAE for the second consecutive year, reflecting its sustained progress across key areas of academic and institutional performance. One of the university’s significant achievements this year was attaining its highest score for ‘Employer Reputation’ locally to date, which indicates growing employer confidence in ADU graduates and the university’s ability to prepare students for successful careers. Globally, it has also recorded improvements across several key performance indicators compared to the previous year, including Employment Outcomes, Academic Reputation, Citations per Faculty, and Faculty-Student ratio. These results reflect ADU’s continued commitment to academic excellence, world-class education and the advancement of research and innovation, by building a high-quality learning environment equipped with modern academic and research facilities.

Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University, said: “As higher education continues to evolve globally, universities are increasingly measured by their ability to create meaningful outcomes for students, society, and wider industries. Our strong performance across key indicators, particularly in academic reputation, research impact, and graduate employability, reflects the effectiveness of our approach to delivering future-focused education and fostering innovation. We remain committed to advancing knowledge, empowering future leaders, and contributing to the UAE’s vision of a competitive, knowledge-based economy.

Guided by its Vision 2027, ADU continues to align its strategic priorities with UAE’s National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, prioritizing student success, teaching excellence, and impactful research to support the development of a knowledge-based economy and a future-ready workforce.

Professor Aouad added: “This achievement belongs to the entire ADU community. The dedication of our students, faculty, researchers, alumni, and professional staff continues to position the university among top global academic institutions. We are equally grateful to the UAE’s visionary leadership and thriving higher education ecosystem, which continue to create opportunities for us to innovate, grow, and excel on the global stage.”

The QS World University Rankings are among the world's most influential higher education benchmarks, evaluating institutions across key areas including research and discovery, employability and outcomes, learning experience, global engagement and sustainability. ADU's continued advancement reflects the strength of its academic model and its growing contribution to shaping the future of academic excellence and skilled talent.