UAE, Abu Dhabi: In recognition of its many recent achievements, Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has advanced in 79 places in the 2025 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, ranking 501 globally. This places the university among the top 33 percent of universities worldwide, achieving the highest ranking since 2014.

ADU has maintained its place among the top five universities in the world in the International Faculty category, reflecting the diversity and inclusion of its faculty members. Additionally, the university achieved a significant improvement, rising by 100 places in Employer Reputation ranking 390 on a global level, as well as improving 45 places in Academic Reputation reaching 556 globally. The institution’s continued commitment to impactful research was also recognized with a global ranking of 610 in Citations per Faculty, rising 79 places from last year. On a national level, ADU went up two places in Employer Reputation, ranking fourth, and secured fifth place in Citations per Faculty ranking among UAE universities.

Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University (ADU), said: “We are honored to once again be recognized by the prestigious QS World University Rankings for 2025. The rise in ranking this year reflects our unwavering commitment to academic excellence and our ongoing efforts to enhance ADU’s academic offering for our students. At ADU, we constantly strive to provide a well-rounded educational experience by fostering an inclusive, reputable, and research-intensive environment. ADU offers world-class education and accredited academic programs to the youth of the UAE to enable them to lead the nation and advance the sectors on a global level in line with the UAE economic visions.”

Prof. Aouad added: “I am immensely proud of the achievements of ADU this year and would like to extend my gratitude to the highly esteemed faculty members, researchers, staff and our students who have made these achievements possible with their many rich contributions. Together, we will continue to elevate ADU’s reputation on a global level while providing our students with exceptional opportunities to succeed.”

Recently, reflecting on its excellence across various academic programs, ADU was recognized by the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject. The university went up 100 places in Business and Management Studies, ranking first in the UAE and 151-200 globally. In addition, ascending 163 places in Social Sciences and Management, ranking first in the UAE and 288 globally. On its debut, the Accounting and Finance subject ranked second in the UAE and 251-300 worldwide. Furthermore, the Engineering: Mechanical, Aeronautical, and Manufacturing subjects went up 50 places, ranking 401-450 globally.

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) offers unrivaled data, expertise, and solutions for the global higher education sector with a mission to enable motivated individuals worldwide to fulfill their potential through educational achievement, international mobility, and career development. The QS World University Rankings, inaugurated in 2004, has grown to become one of the world’s most popular sources of comparative data about university performance.

To know more about Abu Dhabi University’s programs, please visit: https://www.adu.ac.ae/

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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 around 8,000 students from over 100 nationalities. The University is home to five colleges across different disciplines including arts and sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and law, while offering a diverse range of over 50 undergraduate and graduate programs.

According to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, ADU ranks second in the UAE for its research quality and 192 globally, 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.

The University has made an impressive debut in THE Young University Rankings 2023, ranking in the 60th position globally among the world's best universities that are 50 years or younger. Furthermore, the University came in 89th place in the prestigious THE Asia Rankings 2024 and was ranked first in the UAE for graduate employability as per the Global University Employability Ranking 2023-24.

Parallelly, ADU ranks in 501 globally, according to the 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings and received a 5-star rating in the 2022 QS Stars rating.

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).

To know more about ADU, follow on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Media Contacts
Weber Shandwick for Abu Dhabi University
Sara Farrah
Sfarrah@webershandwick.com