The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that 25 Iraqi universities have been included in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, which evaluated 2,191 educational institutions from 115 countries around the world.
The Ministry stated in a statement on Thursday (October 9, 2025), "The Times Higher Education World University Rankings released its results for 2026, evaluating 2,191 institutions from 115 countries around the world. Twenty-five Iraqi universities achieved their positions in the ranking, which showed an increase in the number of Iraqi universities compared to the 2025 edition, which included 22 universities."
The statement added that "universities competed in the Times Higher Education ranking according to key criteria based on eighteen performance indicators in five areas: teaching (learning environment) (29.5%), research environment (29%), research quality (30%), international outlook (7.5%), and industry income (4%)."
The statement indicated that "the Times Higher Education World Rankings demonstrated the Study in Iraq program's ability to introduce international students to Iraqi universities that are highly regarded and competitive with educational institutions worldwide in terms of their performance in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook."
The ministry concluded its statement by emphasizing that "this achievement reflects the growing presence of Iraqi universities in international rankings and the growth of their research and academic capabilities."
According to statements from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, there are more than 80 public and private universities and colleges in Iraq, "enrolling approximately one million students."
25 Iraqi universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026
