American University of Beirut is the Best University in the Arab Region

This year’s QS Arab Region University Rankings have been released, and the American University of Beirut has been named the best university in the Arab region.

The Lebanese institution has climbed one place since last year’s ranking, which means King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals has been dethroned for the first time ever since the ranking was first piloted in 2014.

Saudi Arabia can still proudly claim to be one of the best destinations for higher education in the Arab world though, with three universities in the top four beneath the American University of Beirut. It’s also the most-represented nation in the rankings, with 21 Saudi Arabian universities in the top 100.

The next countries to feature the most are Egypt and Jordan, although these countries can both manage only one university each in the top 10. This year’s top 10 is largely unchanged since last year, with only Sultan Qaboos University, based in Oman, breaking into the top 10 (it was 11th last year).

Now featuring nearly 150 universities, this year’s rankings were compiled by assessing universities on eight different indicators, including the number of academic papers published per faculty member and their online presence. More information about the methodology can be found here.

The top 10 of the region can be found below, or click here to see this year’s table in full.