Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan Lead in 2024 ISC World Islamic Universities Ranking
Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan Lead in 2024 ISC World Islamic Universities Ranking
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The Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) has released its 2024 World Islamic Universities Ranking, highlighting the growing research output and academic performance of universities across the Islamic world.
The latest ranking features 552 universities from 35 Islamic countries, reflecting an expanding focus on scientific and technological advancement in higher education, Shia Waves Persian reported.
According to the ISC, only institutions that produced at least 500 scientific publications indexed in the Web of Science database between 2020 and 2022 were eligible for inclusion. Out of 57 Islamic countries, 35 met this threshold, underscoring the uneven but strengthening landscape of academic research across the region.
Media reports from Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed and Gulf News noted that Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan led in representation, with Turkey accounting for 138 universities, Iran 84, and Pakistan 50. Analysts attribute this dominance to sustained government investment in higher education and research infrastructure over the past decade.
Among the top-performing institutions are Tehran University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran; Hacettepe University and Istanbul University in Turkey; and Karachi University in Pakistan. Other notable entries include King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, Cairo University in Egypt, and leading universities from Malaysia and the UAE.
According to Independent Arabic, the ISC ranking serves as a valuable benchmark for assessing scientific performance, helping universities identify research strengths and gaps while supporting strategic planning and policymaking. Education experts say the findings reflect a broader trend of increased academic collaboration, internationalization, and investment in innovation across Islamic nations.
