TEHRAN – Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2026 ranked 101 Iranian universities in the top ranks, up from 85 in 2025.
The 2026 ranking includes 2,191 universities from 115 countries and regions. There were 99 new entries compared to last year.
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Our updated methodology includes 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and government. One of the indicators (study abroad) currently has zero weight, but will be included in the future.
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.
Twelve other universities are ranked 601-800 in the world, including Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Goreslan University, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan University of Technology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Science, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, University of Tabriz, Urmiya University of Medical Sciences.
In the 2026 university rankings, the University of Oxford retains its number one spot for the 10th consecutive year, driven by a strong research climate score. Princeton moves into a tie for third place and is the only U.S. university to have achieved its best record this year. In China, five universities ranked in the top 40, an increase from three universities last year, but the top universities remain stable. Hong Kong holds a record 6th place in the top 200 as a result of improvements in education indicators. For the first time, India ranks second in number of universities ranked after the United States.
Latest ranking
The 2024 World University Rankings (WUR) report by the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) includes 72 Iranian universities, up from 69 in 2023. The ranking lists a total of 426 universities from 31 Islamic countries, with 102 universities from Turkey, 72 from Iran, and 39 from Pakistan ranking first to third, IRNA reported.
Among the top universities in Islamic countries, Saudi Arabia is ranked 172nd. Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Egypt jointly rank 401-450, Qatar 451-500 and Türkiye, UAE and Lebanon 501-600.
Tehran University’s ranking changed from 501-600 in 2023 to 401-500 in 2024. The university ranked first in the country. Second place goes to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The university’s world ranking is 501-600, up from 601-700 in 2023.
The ranking of Shahid Beheshti Medical University also improved from 801-900 in 2023 to 601-700 in 2024, making it 3rd in the country. Sharif University of Technology and Tarbiat Modares University were ranked 4th and 5th respectively.
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. Among Iranian universities, Mazandara University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and Yazd University of Medical Sciences rose by 1002nd, 961st, and 948th place, respectively.
Other universities that have significantly improved their rankings include Sharekord Medical University, Urmia Medical University, Ilam Medical University, Kashan Medical University, Alborz Medical University, Kordestan Medical University, Gonabad Medical University, and Marageh Medical University.
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.
Alzalah University and Kerman Medical University are ranked 85th and 89th, respectively, in gender equality. Shahid Beheshti Medical College ranks 30th in terms of health and well-being.
Amirkabir University of Technology and Shahid Beheshti University are ranked 46th and 60th in the industry, innovation and infrastructure sector. In the 22nd 2026 edition of the Quacquarelli Simmons (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), nine Iranian universities were ranked among the world’s top universities, unchanged from the 2025 ranking.
The University of Tehran is ranked 322nd in the world ranking and ranks first among Iranian universities. Sharif University of Technology (375th) and Amikaville University of Technology (456th) came in second and third place.
Iran University of Science and Technology (496th), Isfahan University of Technology (571st), Tabriz University (578th), Shiraz University (701-710), Shahid Beheshti University (741-750), and Mashhad’s Ferdowsi University (951-1000) are also among the top universities included in this year’s ranking.
In the 2025 Round University Rankings (RUR), 36 Iranian universities were ranked among the world’s top universities, up from 32 universities in 2024. Islamic Azad University, which is ranked 93rd in the world ranking, has become number 1 in the country.
Tehran University of Medical Sciences (125), University of Tehran (202), Iran University of Science and Technology (355), Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (371), Sharif University of Technology (389), Tabriz University (422), Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences (440), Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (445) and Shahid Beheshti University (454) were ranked from 2nd to 10th.
MT/MG