According to the results of the first edition of the Arab Universities Classification emanating from the Arab League General Secretariat, and The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), and The Association of Arab Universities, the United Arab Emirates University won third place on the Arab region and the university of Sharjah was ranked the sixth. The first edition of the classification was dedicated to classify a number of Arab universities and it is planned that its next editions will be dedicated to classifying international universities.

In detail, the Arab Universities Classification Council which is emanating from the Arab League General Secretariat, and The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), and The Association of Arab Universities     assured that the classification is based on four main criteria’s, each has nine sub-performance indicators. The main criteria included: Education and learning criteria, Scientific Research criteria, Creativity and Innovation criteria, in addition to Participation criteria. The total weight of the indicators was 1000 points, at 300 points for both of the first and second indicators, and 200 points for both of the third and fourth indicators.

The number of universities that applied for the Arab Universities Classification reached 208 universities, and the number of universities that completed the data submission for classification reached 115 universities from different 16 Arab countries. While Egypt was at the top of the ranking in terms of the number of applied universities with a total of 28 universities, followed by Iraq with a total of 19 universities, Jordan with 18 universities, Yemen with 10 universities, Palestine with 8 universities, Libya with 8 universities, KSA 7 universities, Tunisia 4 universities, Syria 3 universities and 2 universities from UAE, Morocco, and Lebanon and one university for each of Bahrain, Algeria, Somalia and Kuwait.

The classification results showed King Saud University topping the list of Arab Universities, followed by Cairo University in 2nd place, United Arab Emirates University at 3^rd place, Ain Shams University at 4^th place, Mansoura University at 5^th place, University of Sharjah at 6^th place, King Khalid University at 7^th place, University of Sfax at 8^th place, Alexandria University at 9^th place, and Zagazig University at 10^th place.

The council stressed that the Arab Universities Classification was designed based on a four indicators methodology, which commensurate with the Arab countries' visions and needs. The Classification includes a set of measurable criteria which are: Education & learning& Teaching Quality, Scientific Research (Quantity and Quality of Research), Creativity& Leadership & Innovation so that the classification will have an economic applied dimension with the aim of encouraging the scientific research in universities that is based on creativity, leadership, innovation. In addition to encouraging marketing and publishing of the scientific outputs and technology management to help reach knowledge-based economy, international and local cooperation, community service, international perspective and impact on the society.

The Arab Universities Classification Council emphasized that the classification aims to be a primary catalyst for academics, besides education quality and scientific research emphasis was placed on the importance of universities transformation to the 3^rd and 4^th university generations adding two indicators for open science through the consolidation of international relations and cooperating with final beneficiaries and encouraging them to transfer their scientific outputs into products that benefits the society. What will help to attract distinguished professors to teach at universities, and outstanding students and expats to attend universities.

36 Performance Indicator

The Arab Universities Classification Council asserted that the basic criteria that universities should meet for inclusion in the classification stipulates that the applicant university must be an educational and research university. Noting that each of the four main evaluation criteria contains nine performance indicators, for the evaluation to be based on 36 indicators. Most notably, the number of full-time faculty members with a doctoral degree to students, and the proportion of citations in the top 10% of research cited globally, the number of research related to industry, innovation and infrastructure, as well as visiting faculty members from other countries for the percentage of faculty members in the classification year.

The council reaffirmed that the classification is a cooperation and collaboration motive and will inspire Arab universities to work together by exchanging the best practices and elevating the level of academic excellence. Which reflects that the true measure of success lies not only in the classifications themselves, but in the tangible impact that universities have on students’ lives, the knowledge advancement and the prosperity of their societies. 

The classification was based on four main criteria’s: Education and learning, Scientific Research, Creativity and Innovation, and Participation.

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Source:  https://www.emaratalyoum.com/local-section/other/2024-02-25-1.1829973