The American University of Beirut was placed second in a new ranking of the top 15 universities in the Arab world published by the Times Higher Education. The top spot on the list went to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University, and Saudi schools took three of the top five spots. AUB was the only Lebanese university to make the list.
“This top 15 ranking gives us a fascinating insight into the strongest university players in the Arab world, but it is just a snapshot to stimulate wider discussions about the most appropriate metrics for ranking the region’s universities,” said Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
Egypt also had three universities make it in, though none placed higher than 10th. A total of eight countries were represented: Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Morocco.
The new rankings were timed for release ahead of the publication’s upcoming MENA Universities Summit, which will be held from Feb. 2-4. The conference will feature speakers addressing a range of subjects including international collaboration and the role of governance at regional universities.
The rankings were derived from the same statistics and performance indicators used to create the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, but only institutions from the 22 Arab League nations were considered. In the future, the publication is hoping to develop a new system of evaluation specifically for Middle Eastern schools.
“We are consulting with the sector about the creation of formal, bespoke rankings for the region, using metrics tailored to regional priorities and university missions,” Baty said, adding that this would be one of the main topics discussed at next week’s summit.
Founded in 1866, AUB bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. A teaching-centered research university, AUB has more than 700 full-time faculty members and a student body of about 8,500 students. AUB currently offers more than 120 programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MDs, and doctorates. It provides medical education and training to students from throughout the region at its Medical Center that includes a full-service 420-bed hospital.
The university celebrated its 150th anniversary and the inauguration of its 16th President Fadlo R. Khuri Monday in a ceremony that brought together a host of academics and officials.
The complete rankings can be found at: www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/top-15-universit…-
