Six Iranian Universities Shine in Shanghai Ranking 2025: A Closer Look at Academic Excellence
In the latest Shanghai University Ranking 2025, six Iranian universities have secured their positions among the top 1,000 institutions globally, a slight decrease from nine in 2024. This prestigious ranking, officially known as the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), is published annually by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, which has been assessing universities since 2003. Recognized for its transparent methodology and reliance on objective third-party data, ARWU is considered a leading authority in global university rankings.
This year, over 2,500 universities were evaluated, and the top 1,000 have been announced. Among these, two Iranian institutions have made it into the top 500:
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences
- University of Tehran
Both of these universities rank within the 401-500 range globally. Other notable rankings include:
- Tarbiat Modares University: Ranks 701-800
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences: Ranks 801-900
- Sharif University of Technology: Ranks 801-900
- Iran University of Medical Sciences: Ranks 901-1000
The ARWU employs six objective indicators for its rankings, which include:
- Number of alumni and staff who have received Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals
- Count of highly cited researchers selected by Clarivate
- Number of articles published in prestigious journals such as Nature and Science
- Quantity of articles indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index
- Per capita performance of a university
In this year’s ranking, Harvard University continues to hold the top position for the 23rd consecutive year, followed by:
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of Cambridge
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Oxford
- Princeton University
- Columbia University
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- University of Chicago
Additionally, the July edition of the Webometrics world ranking has identified 64 medical universities from Iran, maintaining the same count as the January edition. Notably, 11 of these universities have seen improvements in their rankings:
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 485, the only Iranian university in the top 500
- Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences: Improved by 1002 positions
- Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences: Improved by 961 positions
- Yazd University of Medical Sciences: Improved by 948 positions
Other universities that have made notable advancements include:
- Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
- Urmia University of Medical Sciences
- Ilam University of Medical Sciences
- Kashan University of Medical Sciences
- Alborz University of Medical Sciences
- Kordestan University of Medical Sciences
- Gonabad University of Medical Sciences
- Maraghe University of Medical Sciences
The Times Higher Education (THE) has also recognized 34 Iranian universities for their commitment to sustainable development goals (SDGs), an increase from 33 universities in 2024. The rankings reveal:
- Iran University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 301-400, leading in the country
- Alzahra University: Ranked 401-600
- Kerman University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 401-600
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 401-600
Furthermore, specific rankings in various categories include:
- Iran University of Medical Sciences: 48th in good health and well-being
- Alzahra University: 85th in gender equality
- Kerman University of Medical Sciences: 89th in gender equality
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences: 30th in good health and well-being
- Amirkabir University of Technology: 46th in industry, innovation, and infrastructure
- Shahid Beheshti University: 60th in industry, innovation, and infrastructure
In the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2026, nine Iranian universities have been ranked among the world’s best, maintaining the same count from the previous year. The rankings are as follows:
- University of Tehran: Ranked 322, first among Iranian universities
- Sharif University of Technology: Ranked 375
- Amirkabir University of Technology: Ranked 456
- Iran University of Science and Technology: Ranked 496
- Isfahan University of Technology: Ranked 571
- University of Tabriz: Ranked 578
- Shiraz University: Ranked 701-710
- Shahid Beheshti University: Ranked 741-750
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad: Ranked 951-1000
Lastly, the Round University Ranking (RUR) 2025 has acknowledged 36 Iranian universities among the top universities globally, an increase from 32 in 2024. The top rankings are:
- Islamic Azad University: Ranked 93, first in the country
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 125
- University of Tehran: Ranked 202
- Iran University of Science and Technology: Ranked 355
- Shiraz University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 371
- Sharif University of Technology: Ranked 389
- University of Tabriz: Ranked 422
- Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 440
- Qazvin University of Medical Sciences: Ranked 445
- Shahid Beheshti University: Ranked 454
