Islamic University of Madinah climbs 32 places in QS Arab rankings

The Islamic University of Madinah has climbed 32 places in the QS Arab Region University Rankings 2027, marking a significant improvement in its regional standing and strengthening its position among Saudi Arabia’s higher education institutions.

Released by global higher education analytics firm QS on October 15, the rankings placed the university at 86th, up from 118th in 2026. The 32-place rise was the largest improvement among Saudi universities and the second-largest among Arab universities.

The university also recorded notable gains nationally, moving up eight places among Saudi universities from 28th to 20th, and five places among public universities from 22nd to 17th.

Its overall score rose from 29.1 to 37, an increase of 27.1%. According to the university, this was the largest score improvement among Saudi universities with comparable data.

The institution also improved its performance across eight of the ranking’s 10 indicators, reflecting progress in academic and research performance, international engagement and educational quality. These gains support its efforts to strengthen competitiveness and improve learning outcomes at both the national and regional levels.

Islamic University of Madinah President Dr Saleh Al-Aqla expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s leadership for its continued support of higher education, crediting the progress to the collective efforts of faculty members, researchers, staff and students.

He said the achievement reflected the university’s ongoing development and reaffirmed its commitment to meeting strategic objectives and strengthening its global standing.

The university’s continued focus on academic development and institutional improvement aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which places education and human-capital development among the priorities for the Kingdom’s future.