Six Egyptian Universities Secure Spots in World's Top 1,000 for 2026 Shanghai Ranking

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that six Egyptian universities have been successfully included among the world’s top 1,000 universities in the latest edition of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, for 2026. This prestigious evaluation reviewed more than 2,500 universities and higher education institutions from across the globe.

Cairo University proudly maintained its position as Egypt’s top-ranked institution for the fifth consecutive year, securing a placement in the 401-500 global range. Meanwhile, Alexandria University and Mansoura University shared second place nationally, both falling within the 601-700 global range. Ain Shams University and Al-Azhar University were positioned in the 701-800 bracket, and Zagazig University achieved a ranking in the 901-1000 range.

Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister and acting Culture Minister Abdelaziz Konsowa praised the impressive performance of Egyptian universities in the 2026 Shanghai Ranking. He emphasized that the ministry continuously tracks the performance of local institutions in international rankings to measure the competitiveness of Egypt's higher education and scientific research sector globally. The Minister noted that this sustained presence reflects the state's ongoing dedication to developing the higher education system and strengthening internationalization in line with global standards.

The evaluation results specifically highlighted the strong performance of Egyptian institutions in the research output (PUB) indicator. Cairo University led the group with a score of 39.1 points, followed closely by Mansoura University at 32.9, Alexandria University at 31.9, Ain Shams University at 31.2, Al-Azhar University at 29.2, and Zagazig University at 26.5. Additionally, Ain Shams University recorded the highest growth rate in research papers published in Nature and Science, while Al-Azhar University nearly doubled its score on that specific indicator compared to 2023. Alexandria University also demonstrated strong results in the alumni indicator.

Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s Media Adviser and Official Spokesperson, stated that the ministry remains committed to enhancing the competitiveness of Egyptian universities and solidifying the nation's role as a leading regional hub for higher education and scientific research. He explained that these strategic initiatives involve advancing the scientific research framework, broadening international cooperation, and supporting joint research efforts with high citation rates to boost publications in high-impact international journals.

Established initially in June 2003 by the Center for World-Class Universities at China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Shanghai Ranking is one of the oldest and most respected university evaluations globally. It relies on six core indicators, including Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals awarded to faculty and alumni, highly cited researchers, Nature and Science publications, major database indexing, and per-capita academic performance. Furthermore, the ministry acknowledged the vital role of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank in supplying researchers with comprehensive resources and credited specialized university ranking teams for monitoring institutional performance criteria.