UAE universities have risen up the rankings in a new global higher education league table, in which the US's under-fire Harvard cemented top spot for the 14th consecutive year.
Abu Dhabi's Khalifa University led the way for the country, jumping up 30 places to 846th out of 21,462 higher education institutions assessed in the 2025 Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR), released on Monday morning.
Khalifa University placed in the top 4 per cent of universities worldwide and was the 10th best in the Middle East in the annual list measured on quality of education, employability, quality of faculty and research.
United Arab Emirates University climbed 91 places to 1,022 (in the top 4.8 per cent), ahead of the University of Sharjah – up 161 places to 1,092 (top 5.1 per cent) and New York University Abu Dhabi at 1,116 (top 5.2 per cent).
The CWUR referred to the strong research performance of the universities as being central to their move up the rankings.
Nadim Mahassen, president of the CWUR, hailed the significant progress being made by UAE universities. “With four of its institutions in the rankings, the United Arab Emirates is well represented among the world’s top universities," he said. "Further financial backing, and placing the development of education and science higher on its agenda, will allow the country to be even more competitive in the rapidly evolving global academic landscape."
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology was the top performer in the region, moving up to 237th from 249th position last year.
Fellow Saudi institution King Abdulaziz University broke into the 250, rising from 254th to 249th.
UAE makes its mark
Senthil Nathan, managing director and co-founder of Edu Alliance, a UAE-based higher education consultancy company, said it was significant that this particular ranking places an emphasis on the success of universities in preparing students for the world of work.
“Before reflecting on any world rankings, it is essential to understand their underlying methodologies. CWUR assesses rankings without relying on surveys and university data submissions,” Mr Nathan said.
“A significant weight [50 per cent] of this ranking is given to the success of the university's alumni.”
Mr Nathan – a former deputy vice chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi – said the CWUR considers the average number of former students who have held top positions at the world's largest 2,000 public companies since 2011. This performance indicator will frustrate some newer universities, such as those in the Emirates.
“The improvement in the rankings of four of the universities in the UAE is commendable," he said. "On a first glance, their CWUR ranking may seem lower as compared to their ranking in other systems.
“However, this is mainly because of the way CWUR measures success of the alumni. Khalifa University and NYUAD are relatively young universities and have been graduating students only for less than 15 years.”
The UAE government has taken significant steps to drive up higher education standards in recent years in an effort to compete with the world's best seats of learning.
In June 2024, the UAE set out plans for local universities to be subjected to regular assessments and clustered based on performance.
Both public and private higher education institutions are included in the assessment, with rankings based on factors including teaching quality and student life, employability, scientific research and international collaboration.
Recognition for troubled Harvard
The Ivy League Harvard University, which is the subject of a controversial plan by the Trump administration to prevent it enrolling foreign students, topped the rankings once again.
Washington has accused the Ivy League university of not doing enough to fight anti-Semitism and change its admissions practices – allegations the university has strongly denied. Harvard said the proposed ban is a “blatant violation” of the law and free speech rights.
Harvard was joined in the top three by two other US universities, MIT and Stanford, with the UK's world renowned Cambridge and Oxford making up the top five.
While US universities make up the rest of the top 10, Mr Mahassen said this dominance was not reflected in the wider global top 2,000 and points to potential challenges ahead as academic competition hots up and universities face up to funding cuts.
“While the United States still boasts the top universities in the world, the decline of the vast majority of its higher education institutions should be of concern to US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the wider Trump administration," he said.
“At a time when Chinese universities are reaping the rewards of years of generous financial support from their government, American institutions are grappling with slashed federal funding and disputes over academic freedom and free speech.
“With the United States surpassed by China as the country with the most representatives in the rankings, its reputation in the global higher education sector is under serious threat.
“The sharp decline of US universities parallels that of institutions in Japan, France, and Germany, while UK and Russian universities have fared only slightly better. With the extraordinary rise of Chinese institutions, universities in the Western world cannot afford to stand still and rest on their laurels.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
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Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
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Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
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“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
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Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
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Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
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Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
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Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
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Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
MATCH INFO
England 2
Cahill (3'), Kane (39')
Nigeria 1
Iwobi (47')
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
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MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
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