TEHRAN – The Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Scientific Ranking (ISR) has ranked 28 Iranian universities among the world’s top institutions for interdisciplinary scientific research, compared to 29 universities in the 2025 ranking.
Created in collaboration with Schmidt Science Fellows, THE ISR is the first effort of its kind to measure universities’ contributions and commitment to interdisciplinary science. THE ISR 2026 ranks a total of 911 institutions from 94 countries.
According to a report by ISNA, Amikaville Institute of Technology was ranked 99th in the world and ranked first in the country.
Shahid Beheshti University (147th), Shiraz University (196th) and Golestan University (351-400) were ranked 2nd to 4th, respectively.
Buari Sina University, Razi University, University of Kurdistan, Mohaqeq al-Dabiri University, Urmia University and Yazd University were ranked 401-500 in the world.
The ISR methodology consists of three pillars, each representing a stage in the life cycle of a research project: input (19 percent), process (16 percent), and output (65 percent). Each pillar is further divided into indicators to measure different aspects of that stage. There are 11 metrics in total.
This year, in response to university engagement and feedback, the interdisciplinary scope was expanded to cover research projects that combine multiple scientific disciplines, or one or more scientific disciplines with one or more non-STEM disciplines, such as social sciences, education, psychology, law, economics, clinical and health.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took the top spot for the second year in a row, with Stanford University again in second place, California Institute of Technology, and newly ranked University of California, Berkeley, in the top four in the nation.
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According to the Quacquarelli Simmons (QS) Asian University Rankings, 48 Iranian universities were ranked in the top university list in 2026, up from 32 in 2025.
The QS Asian University Rankings, published annually since 2009, introduces Asia’s top universities each year.
According to the ISNA report, the University of Tehran (93rd in the world ranking) ranked first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (142nd in the world ranking) and Amir Kabir University of Technology (169th in the world ranking).
Iran University of Science and Technology (172), Isfahan University of Technology and Tabriz University (212), Shahid Beheshti University (214), Shiraz University (241), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (261), KN Tusi University of Technology (287) and Isfahan University (293) are ranked from 4th to 10th.
Times Higher Education’s 2026 World University Rankings ranked 101 Iranian universities in the top ranks, up from 85 in 2025.
Amirkabir University of Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and Sharif University of Technology are the top universities in Iran, with world rankings of 351-400.
Iran University of Science and Technology and the University of Tehran jointly took second place, ranking between 401 and 500 in the world ranking. Shiraz University of Technology and Tehran University of Medical Sciences were ranked 501-600 in the world, ranking jointly in third place.
In the 2025 Shanghai University Ranking, six Iranian universities were ranked among the world’s top 1,000 institutions, down from nine in 2024. Tehran University of Medical Sciences and the University of Tehran are among the top 500 universities in the world, ranking between 401 and 500 in the world rankings. Tarviat Modares University is ranked 701-800.
Shahid Beheshti Medical University and Sharif University of Technology are ranked 801-900. Iran University of Medical Sciences is ranked 901-1000. The July edition of the Webometrics World Rankings includes the same 64 Iranian medical universities as the January edition, of which 11 have improved their rankings compared to the January edition.
Tehran University of Medical Sciences (485th) is the only university ranked among the world’s top 500 institutions, Mehr News Agency reported.
Times Higher Education (THE) has selected 34 Iranian universities as top universities pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), up from 33 universities in 2024. Iran Medical University, ranked 301-400 in the world ranking, was ranked first in the country.
In second place were Alzalah University, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (401st to 600th). Iran University of Medical Sciences ranks 48th in health and well-being, reducing inequality, and 62nd in quality education goals.
MT/MG