Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has strengthened its position among the world's leading higher education institutions, advancing 43 places from the previous edition to rank 348th globally in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2027. Recognized among 8,808 institutions across 106 locations worldwide, ADU’s achievement reflects its continued progress in academic excellence, research impact, and graduate employability.

ADU ranked fifth among top universities in the UAE for the second consecutive year, reflecting its sustained progress across key areas of academic and institutional performance. One of the university’s significant achievements this year was attaining its highest score for ‘Employer Reputation’ locally to date, which indicates growing employer confidence in ADU graduates and the university’s ability to prepare students for successful careers. Globally, it has also recorded improvements across several key performance indicators compared to the previous year, including Employment Outcomes, Academic Reputation, Citations per Faculty, and Faculty-Student ratio. These results reflect ADU’s continued commitment to academic excellence, world-class education and the advancement of research and innovation, by building a high-quality learning environment equipped with modern academic and research facilities.

Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University, said: “As higher education continues to evolve globally, universities are increasingly measured by their ability to create meaningful outcomes for students, society, and wider industries. Our strong performance across key indicators, particularly in academic reputation, research impact, and graduate employability, reflects the effectiveness of our approach to delivering future-focused education and fostering innovation. We remain committed to advancing knowledge, empowering future leaders, and contributing to the UAE’s vision of a competitive, knowledge-based economy.

Guided by its Vision 2027, ADU continues to align its strategic priorities with UAE’s National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, prioritizing student success, teaching excellence, and impactful research to support the development of a knowledge-based economy and a future-ready workforce.

Professor Aouad added: “This achievement belongs to the entire ADU community. The dedication of our students, faculty, researchers, alumni, and professional staff continues to position the university among top global academic institutions. We are equally grateful to the UAE’s visionary leadership and thriving higher education ecosystem, which continue to create opportunities for us to innovate, grow, and excel on the global stage.”

The QS World University Rankings are among the world's most influential higher education benchmarks, evaluating institutions across key areas including research and discovery, employability and outcomes, learning experience, global engagement and sustainability. ADU's continued advancement reflects the strength of its academic model and its growing contribution to shaping the future of academic excellence and skilled talent.

About Abu Dhabi University

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) is one of the region’s leading academic institutions, translating the UAE Government’s National Agenda to deliver internationally accredited academic programs and world-class research.

Established in 2003, with campuses across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai, the University serves over 10,000 students from over 100 nationalities. The University is home to five colleges across different disciplines including arts, education, social sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and law, while offering a diverse range of over 65 undergraduate and graduate programs.

According to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, ADU ranks in the top 250 globally. Additionally, it ranks second in the UAE and 75th globally for its research quality, and it is among the top three universities in the UAE, while holding the number one position in the teaching pillar. Additionally, THE Rankings has recognized the University’s Business and Economics subject area as number one in the UAE and the Arab region.

Abu Dhabi University ranked 91st in the prestigious THE Asia University Rankings 2026 and was ranked third in the UAE for graduate employability as per the 2026 Global Employability University Ranking.

Parallelly, ADU ranks 348 globally, according to the 2027 edition of the QS World University Rankings, advancing 43 places and 5th in the UAE for the second consecutive year. 

ADU continues to empower faculty and students with state-of-the-art resources, facilities, and learning opportunities that foster innovation and support research-based problem-solving. The University maintains strong international collaborations with leading academic institutions and public and private sector organizations, with institutional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges' Senior College and University Commission (WASC).

Media Contacts
Weber Shandwick for Abu Dhabi University
Reem Al Taie; rtaie@webershandwick.com
Contact number: +971 2 449 445