Doha, Qatar: Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation has been ranked 126th globally in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, making it the first and only Arab university among the top 150.
The achievement reflects the university’s progress in strengthening its academic and research profile. The recognition also comes as HBKU continues to expand its academic community, welcoming more students and introducing forward-looking programmes aligned with national priorities and emerging future societal needs.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings evaluate research-intensive universities across core performance pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, International Outlook, and Industry. HBKU performance demonstrated the strength of its research and capacity to translate knowledge into practical value.
President of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah stated: “Our standing in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings reflects the dedication of our faculty, researchers, students, and staff, and the enabling vision of Qatar Foundation, whose unique ecosystem and environment that have enabled HBKU to grow, thrive, and achieve impact. At HBKU, our mission has never been solely about benchmarks, but about driving purposeful innovation and nurturing homegrown intellectual capacity that directly serves Qatar’s national priorities and contributes to the global knowledge economy. This milestone reaffirms that an agile, multidisciplinary university rooted in the Arab region can deliver research that resonates globally.”
Founded as a homegrown research institution, it is a nationally anchored university with an international outlook, advancing Qatar’s strategic priorities while contributing to global knowledge and innovation. Its model brings together future-focused academic programmes, research, policy, and strategic partnerships through a collaborative ecosystem connecting academia, industry, and government.
