84 Excellence in higher education
K ristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice University, noted that research in the Kingdom has “taken off” in recent years, adding that Saudi universities in the top 20 scored an average of 90 out of 100 for research quality. He described the sector as “undergoing a strategic transformation to try and realign research into supporting Vision 2030”. At the top of the table, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology retained its number one position for a third consecutive year. The postgraduate focused institution continues to be recognised for its world class research output and global scientific impact. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals held second place, reinforcing its reputation as a leading centre for engineering, energy, and applied sciences. King Saud University and King Khalid University also featured prominently, underlining the breadth of Saudi excellence across multiple disciplines. Saudi Arabia places nine universities in the Arab top 20 Overall, Saudi Arabia has 34 universities included in the 2026 rankings, with all but two appearing in the top 100. According to Times Higher Education, Saudi institutions perform particularly strongly in research quality and international outlook, reflecting a strategic focus on attracting global talent, fostering partnerships, and aligning academic output with national priorities. Higher education has become a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to diversify the economy and align education outcomes with labour market needs. The strategy set an ambition to place at least five Saudi universities among the world’s top 200, supported by significant public investment. Cameron Mirza, chief of party at the International Research and Exchanges Board, said the Kingdom is “really gearing itself up to become an innovative, dynamic and entrepreneurial economy, which really needs to be fuelled by a high performing higher education system”. Vision 2030 and the Long Term Higher Education Strategy
KAUST retains the number one pos for the third year running
He added that Saudi Arabia is “moving away from the reliance on oil to become more innovative”. Progress, Partnerships, and the Road Ahead While Saudi Arabia’s upward trajectory is clear, experts quoted by Times Higher Education caution that global rankings
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