Manama, The Arabian Gulf University (AGU) achieved a historic milestone by entering the Times Higher Education ranking for universities for 2025, becoming the first university based in the Kingdom of Bahrain to attain this classification.
This accomplishment reflects the quality of education and research at the university, which has been assessed against international standards that include research citations, international collaboration, and publications in peer-reviewed journals, among other criteria.
The ranking comprises 2,092 universities globally, with the AGU positioned as the only institution from Bahrain, ranking 17th among universities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and 19th among Arab universities.
Dr. Saad Al Fuhaid, President of AGU, stated that this achievement has been made possible by the support of the leaders of the member states, enabling the institution to reach the highest levels of quality and excellence in its academic programmes and various research activities.
He noted that
the university is benefiting from the hard work of all its staff, having achieved a ranking of 501-600 out of 2,092 global universities. This ranking shows the university’s commitment to quality and international standards, assessing factors like academic reputation, programme quality, faculty-to-student ratio, diversity among students and staff, and the number of faculty members with awards or patents. It also considers job opportunities for graduates and other key criteria.
Dr. Adel Kamal, Director of the Quality and Excellence Centre at AGU, stated that this global ranking is a result of the significant efforts of everyone at the university, showcasing its dedication to high standards of quality. The ranking indicates that the university is advancing as a leading institution focused on developing exceptional talent to contribute to sustainable development goals in the GCC.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings emphasise research, teaching, and academic reputation, using data from external
sources like Scopus to evaluate the quality of various programmes and research activities at universities.
Source: Bahrain News Agency