Oct 18, 2024
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) has achieved a remarkable milestone, ranking as the top university in the Middle East and Africa for 2024, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. KFUPM surpassed prestigious institutions across Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, Turkey, South Africa, and other regions, including the University of Cape Town and Tel Aviv University, achieving top ranks in recent years. This achievement highlights KFUPM's strategic advancements since its transformative journey began in 2020.
KFUPM’s significant progress in global rankings reflects its commitment to educational excellence and research impact. In 2020, KFUPM was ranked 507th globally in the THE rankings and held the 13th position among Arab universities. Following the launch of its ambitious strategic transformation plan, the university’s position steadily improved, rising to 366 in 2021, 228 in 2022, 221 in 2023, and finally reaching 176 in the latest 2024 rankings. This significant leap of over 330 positions in just four years demonstrates KFUPM's dedication to elevating academic quality and enhancing research outcomes.
In addition to its achievements in the THE rankings, KFUPM has seen noteworthy improvements in other global rankings. The university climbed significantly in the QS World University Rankings, moving from 200th in 2020 to 101st in 2024.
Notably, KFUPM was also ranked first in the Arab world in both 2023 and 2024, according to the QS Arab Region University Rankings. Furthermore, KFUPM made significant progress in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, ranking 2nd globally in Petroleum Engineering, 8th in Mining, 48th in Chemical Engineering, and 54th in Mechanical Engineering.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Saggaf, President of KFUPM, expressed his pride in the university's achievements and extended his gratitude for the ongoing support from the Saudi leadership, particularly HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Minister of Energy and Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Al-Saggaf emphasized that these accomplishments reinforce KFUPM’s commitment to being a leading institution in both regional and global higher education and research. He also noted that the journey towards achieving this global status remains ongoing.