JEDDAH: Nineteen Saudi universities have been ranked among the top 100 educational institutions in the Arab region, according to the 13th edition of the QS World University Rankings released Monday.
Three universities – who also achieved 5-star rating – made it to the top five rankings in the region, led by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University (KAU) were rated 1st, 3rd and 4th, respectively.
Others top 50 institutions ranked by QS World are Umm Al-Qura University (18), King Khalid University (21), King Faisal University (22), Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Saudi Islamic University (35), Alfaisal University (37), Prince Sultan University (40) and Qassim University (46).
While universities rated from 50 to 100 are Najran University, Islamic University in Madinah, University of Dammam, Dar Al-Hekmah College for Women, Talibah University, Taif University, Majmaah University, Princes Nora bint Abdulrahman University and Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University.
Global rankings
The rankings include 916 universities from 81 countries. Thirty-three countries feature in the Top 200. The US dominates, with 48 institutions, ahead of the UK (30), Netherlands (12), Germany (11), Canada, Australia (9), Japan (8), China (7), France, Sweden and Hong Kong (5).
US institutions hold all top-three places for the first time since 2004-5, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the world's top university for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Stanford and Harvard.
Western European institutions consistently suffered drops in their 2016 rankings, particularly the UK and Germany. The University of Cambridge dropped to fourth.
Russia and South Korea rise significantly, 16 among top-500 universities compared to 13 last year.
Ben Sowter, Head of Research at QS, said: "Institutions in countries providing high levels of targeted funding, whether from endowments or the public purse, rise. Conversely, Western European nations making or proposing cuts to public research spending lose ground to their US and Asian counterparts."
74,651 academics and 37,781 employers contributed to the rankings through the QS global surveys. QS analyzed 10.3 million research papers and 66.3 million citations, indexed by Elsevier's Scopus database.
2016 2015 TOP 20 UNIVERSITIES
1 1 MIT US
2 3= STANFORD US
3 2 HARVARD US
4 3= CAMBRIDGE UK
5 5 CALTECH US
6 6 OXFORD UK
7 7 UCL UK
8 9 ETH ZURICH SWITZERLAND
9 8 IMPERIAL COLLEGE UK
10 10 CHICAGO US
11 11 PRINCETON US
12 12 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE SINGAPORE
13 13 NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY SINGAPORE
14 14 EPFL SWITZERLAND
15 15 YALE US
16 17 CORNELL US
17 16 JOHNS HOPKINS US
18 18 UPENN US
19 21 EDINBURGH UK
20 22 COLUMBIA US
19 Saudi universities among top 100 in the Arab world
19 Saudi universities among top 100 in the Arab world
Japan gifts Kendo equipment to Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee
- Embassy says gift is part of 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations
- Occasion also being marked with expansion of cultural relations
RIYADH: Japan has gifted the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee with Kendo equipment as part of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Formal diplomatic ties were first established on June 7, 1955, laying the foundations for a long-standing partnership.
To mark the occasion, Japanese ambassador Yasunari Morino attended a handover ceremony on Wednesday at the Riyadh Olympic Training Center, where approximately 20 shinai (bamboo swords) and 10 complete sets of Kendo armor were officially donated to the SOPC.
Morino expressed his hope the donation would help increase the popularity of Kendo in Saudi Arabia and provide more opportunities for young Saudi athletes to engage with Japanese martial arts.
“I was happy to join the Olympic Day event organized by the Olympic Committee with many people, young and senior, participating. I hope Saudi people will enjoy practicing various sports, including Japanese martial arts,” the ambassador told Arab News.
Kendo, which translates as “The Way of the Sword,” is a discipline rooted in samurai traditions and is practiced widely in Japan and around the world. The Kingdom’s growing interest in Japanese martial arts reflects the deepening of cultural ties between the two nations, said the embassy.
The donation was enabled by the generous support of the All Japan Kendo Federation. As well as promoting Kendo, it is hoped it will foster greater mutual understanding and cultural exchange through sports between Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The ceremony was one of several initiatives organized by the Embassy of Japan throughout 2025 to commemorate the 70th anniversary. The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka also marks the occasion.
It is hoped the expo will help the Kingdom reach its goal of attracting 30,000 Japanese visitors annually in the lead up to Expo 2030, which is due to take place in Riyadh.
Henry Jackson Society hosts talks with secretary-general of the Muslim World League in London
- Meeting touched on Islam’s message of dialogue, promoting understanding and coexistence among countries and peoples
RIYADH: The Henry Jackson Society hosted a dialogue with Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general and chairman of the Muslim World League, at its headquarters in London.
The meeting touched on Islam’s message of dialogue, promoting understanding and coexistence among countries and peoples, particularly among the diverse communities in multicultural societies.
Al-Issa commended the British Muslim community for its respect for the law, its commitment to social cohesion, and its active engagement in the United Kingdom.
He said that this positive impact has been well documented in reports issued by the Muslim World League and affirmed by senior British officials during official meetings.
He noted that the British Muslim community ranks among the four largest in Europe and, more recently, the most prominent among Muslim minorities in Western countries, distinguished not only by its population size but also by its growing presence in senior government positions.
The discussion underscored the important influence of a mindful family, quality education, and accountable media in cultivating awareness, reinforcing sound thinking, and combating harmful, misleading, and extremist ideologies.
He noted that during a meeting with King Charles at Buckingham Palace, he conveyed the greetings and appreciation of Muslim scholars and intellectuals affiliated with the Muslim World League.
Al-Issa commended the British monarch’s thoughtful and sincere perspective on Islam, particularly in light of increasing Islamophobia and hostile campaigns driven by ideological extremism.
Al-Issa said that Islam is best represented through its message of moderation, conveyed by its leading official institutions.
The Muslim World League is the voice of Muslim communities worldwide and was the sponsor of the historic “Makkah Document” — a pivotal contemporary Islamic charter endorsed by more than 1,200 leading muftis and scholars.
At a March 2023 conference in London, British Muslims described the document as a foundational religious charter, reflecting the scholarly consensus of the Islamic world under the MWL umbrella, and carrying profound significance because it was issued from Makkah, the spiritual heart of Islam and home of the Kaaba.
The secretary-general of the MWL said in a statement that “the Organization of Islamic Cooperation serves as a voice for Islam from the standpoint of the Islamic nations.”
Head of Iran’s Hajj organization commends Saudi Arabia for quality services
- Iranian pilgrims happy with services provided after completing Hajj rituals
RIYADH: The head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, Alireza Bayat, has commended Saudi Arabia for its organization and the facilities provided to pilgrims during the Hajj season 2025.
He said Iranian pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the quality of services upon completing the Hajj rituals and complimented the efficiency of the Saudi authorities in operating air transport, crowd management at the holy sites and healthcare services.
Bayat added the Kingdom had become a role model when serving Muslim worshippers and pilgrims at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi students’ experiments launched to International Space Station
- Ten experiments designed by students from Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world were included in the launch
- Space Madak competition was set up to support and encourage those who are fascinated by space science and technology
RIYADH: Saudi students’ winning entries from the “Space Madak” competition were launched to the International Space Station on Wednesday morning, the Saudi Space Agency announced.
The launch was part of an international mission that lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States.
Ten experiments designed by students from Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world were included in the launch — a landmark event that reflects the Kingdom’s push to advance scientific innovation and empower young talents in the space industry.
The “Space Madak” competition was set up to support and encourage those who are fascinated by space science and technology and are eager to learn how to turn their ideas into practical scientific applications in the microgravity environment aboard the ISS.
The competition, an initiative by the agency in partnership with the Misk Foundation and the Ilmi Science Discovery and Innovation Center, consisted of three categories: “Art: Bezel of Inspiration,” open to ages 6-11; “Agriculture: Bezel of Growth,” open to ages 12-14; and “Engineering: Bezel of Innovation,” open to ages 15-18.
More than 80,000 students participated from across the Arab world.
At the launch of the competition in February last year, Rayyanah Barnawi, the first female Saudi astronaut and supervisor of the competition, said that it was bound to expand the horizons of ambitious young minds and fuel their creativity.
The competition presented a “unique opportunity for students in the Arab world to participate in a journey of discovery and innovation,” she said.
Barnawi was selected by the agency to join Axiom Mission 2 in May 2023, and with fellow Saudi astronaut Ali Al-Qarni, conducted 14 experiments on the ISS — 11 on research in a microgravity environment focused on human health, cell sciences, and cloud seeding, and three interactive educational experiments with students in the Kingdom.
The achievement by the students is a reflection of the Saudi Space Agency’s efforts to fortify the Kingdom’s presence in international space programs and to promote an environment that supports a knowledge-based economy, in accordance with Vision 2030 goals of preparing a generation capable of becoming active contributors in the future of the space sector.
New climate study to shield the Two Holy Mosques from extreme weather
- Study seeks sustainable solutions for extreme weather phenomena while supporting quality-of-life improvements
- Includes analyzing climate effects on urban infrastructure and studying extreme weather patterns
RIYADH: The Regional Centre for Climate Change has launched an advanced scientific study to analyze the effects of climate change on urban environments in Makkah and Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The study seeks sustainable solutions for extreme weather phenomena while supporting quality-of-life improvements in these religiously significant regions with unique urban planning requirements.
These include analyzing climate effects on urban infrastructure and studying extreme weather patterns through modern climate modeling techniques. The initiative also uses data to optimize urban planning and propose resilience solutions to ensure visitor safety and comfort at the Two Holy Mosques.
Ayman Salem Ghulam, the CEO of the Saudi National Center for Meteorology and general supervisor of the RCCC, said that this research is a fundamental pillar supporting adaptation strategies to climate variables for the Two Holy Mosques.
He said that the centers are committed to providing scientific solutions to enhance future projects’ efficiency at both holy cities.
Mazen Assiri, executive director of RCCC detailed the methodology, saying that the integrated scientific approach analyzes weather phenomena affecting urban environments, incorporating international best practices to deliver outputs that align with national development requirements.
He said that to ensure comprehensive solutions, the center held workshops with government and research entities, performed field studies in central Makkah and Madinah, and analyzed practical implementation pathways.
This initiative aligns with the RCCC’s mission to advance specialized climate knowledge and data-driven decision-making. It directly supports environmental sustainability in major developmental projects throughout the Kingdom, particularly those accommodating millions of pilgrims annually.
The study reinforces national efforts to address climate challenges in strategically vital regions while enhancing institutional cooperation in climate resilience planning.
