Muscat: Five Omani higher education institutions, including Sultan Qaboos University, the University of Nizwa, Dhofar University, Sohar University, and the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), have been acknowledged in the 2026 QS World University Rankings.
Sultan Qaboos University made remarkable progress, rising 28 places to the 334th position worldwide. The University of Nizwa ranked between 770 and 761, whereas Dhofar University was placed between 900 and 851. Sohar University was ranked between 1000 and 951, while GUtech was positioned between 1200 and 1001. This performance indicates the ongoing growth of Oman's academic and research infrastructure, as reported by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the UK-based global higher education analyst, on its official 2026 rankings website.
Dr. Maryam Bil'arab Al Nabhani, Director General of Private Universities and Colleges at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, remarked that the QS rankings are among the most renowned global benchmarks for higher education institutions. She highlighted that Oman Vision 2040 contains a strategic goal for national universities to enter the global academic elite, with an emphasis on positioning four Omani universities among the world's top 500 in the QS rankings.
She clarified that the QS methodology ranks universities using key indicators such as academic reputation (measured through expert surveys on teaching and research quality), employer reputation (which measures graduate employability), and faculty-to-student ratios (which reflect educational quality). Research impact is measured through citation metrics, while international faculty and student ratios indicate institutional diversity and global appeal.
Additional measures include sustainability performance, contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), graduate employment rates, and international research collaboration networks.
Dr. Al Nabhani stated that these findings demonstrate Oman's national efforts to boost academic competitiveness in accordance with Oman Vision 2040. They also highlight the ongoing improvement of Omani higher education institutions in raising academic standards and expanding their global presence.
