King Fahd University Joins QS Top 100 Universities List

Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) has entered the QS World University Rankings top 100, placing 67th in the 2026 edition. This marks the first time a university from the Arab region has achieved this milestone.

KFUPM’s rise follows a targeted transformation that began in 2020, when the university was ranked outside the top 200. A key driver was its introduction of nearly 100 new programmes, including majors in entrepreneurship and its AI+X initiative, which embeds artificial intelligence across all disciplines. KFUPM also reports the world’s highest female engineering enrolment and draws students from over 75 countries.

The QS ranking methodology evaluates institutions on metrics such as academic and employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, research output, citations, and levels of internationalisation. KFUPM’s record performance also reflects strong faculty-to-student ratios and improved research impact.

KFUPM’s ascent coincides with broader gains by Arab higher education. Qatar University ranks 112th and King Saud University is listed at 143rd, while the UAE sees strong performances from Khalifa University (177th), Abu Dhabi University (391st), University of Sharjah (328th), and Cairo University (337th).