6 Egyptian universities rank among world’s top 1,000 in 2026 Shanghai Ranking

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that six Egyptian universities have been included among the world’s top 1,000 universities in the latest edition of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), commonly known as the Shanghai Ranking, for 2026.

The ranking evaluated more than 2,500 universities and higher education institutions from countries around the world.

Cairo University maintained its position as Egypt’s top-ranked university for the fifth consecutive year, placing in the 401-500 range globally. Alexandria University and Mansoura University ranked second nationally, both falling within the 601-700 global range.

Ain Shams University and Al-Azhar University were placed in the 701-800 range, while Zagazig University ranked in the 901-1000 range.

Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister and acting Culture Minister Abdelaziz Konsowa praised the performance of Egyptian universities in the 2026 Shanghai Ranking, stressing that the ministry continuously monitors the performance of Egyptian universities in international rankings as an indicator of the competitiveness of higher education and scientific research institutions globally.

The Minister said the continued presence of Egyptian universities in prestigious international rankings reflects the state’s efforts to develop the higher education and scientific research system and strengthen internationalization and competitiveness in line with global standards.

The ranking results also highlighted the strong performance of Egyptian universities in the research output (PUB) indicator. Cairo University led Egyptian universities with a score of 39.1 points, followed by Mansoura University with 32.9, Alexandria University with 31.9, Ain Shams University with 31.2, Al-Azhar University with 29.2, and Zagazig University with 26.5.

Ain Shams University recorded the highest growth rate among Egyptian universities in the indicator measuring research papers published in Nature and Science, while Al-Azhar University nearly doubled its score on the indicator compared with 2023. Alexandria University, meanwhile, demonstrated strong performance in the alumni indicator.

Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s Media Adviser and Official Spokesperson, said the Ministry is continuing its efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian universities and consolidate Egypt’s position as a leading regional hub for higher education and scientific research.

He added that these efforts include developing the scientific research system, expanding international cooperation, and supporting joint research with high citation rates, thereby increasing opportunities for publication in high-impact international scientific journals.

Abdel Ghaffar added that the continued advancement of Egyptian universities in international rankings reflects their efforts to achieve academic and research excellence.

The Shanghai Ranking is one of the world’s oldest university rankings. It was first published in June 2003 by the Center for World-Class Universities at China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University and has been updated annually since 2009.

The ranking is based on six key indicators, including Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals awarded to alumni and faculty, highly cited researchers, papers published in Nature and Science, papers indexed in major international scientific databases, and per-capita academic performance.

The ministry also highlighted the importance of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank in providing researchers with extensive scientific and research resources, contributing to the advancement of scientific research, and strengthening the international presence of Egyptian universities, research institutions, and centers.

It also pointed to the role of university ranking teams in monitoring international ranking criteria and improving institutional performance accordingly.