Discover the Leading Iranian Universities in THE WUR: A Global Perspective on Academic Excellence
In the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, an impressive total of 85 Iranian universities have been recognized among the top institutions globally. This significant achievement underscores the advancing status of Iranian higher education on the world stage.
For the ninth consecutive year, the prestigious University of Oxford maintains its position at the top of the rankings, thanks to notable improvements in industry engagement and teaching quality. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has climbed to second place, surpassing Stanford University, which has fallen to sixth.
China is making strides towards breaking into the top 10, further solidifying its influence on global research. In contrast, Australia’s leading five universities have dropped in rankings, reflecting a decline in both reputation and international outlook. Notably, three new countries—Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—have entered the top 200, showcasing the rise of emerging markets in the field of higher education.
Understanding the Rankings Criteria
The THE World University Rankings employs 18 meticulously calibrated performance indicators to assess institutions across five core pillars:
- Teaching: Evaluated through teaching reputation, student-to-staff ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor ratio, doctorate-to-staff ratio, and institutional income.
- Research Environment: Focuses on research reputation, income, and productivity.
- Research Quality: Includes citation impact, research strength, research excellence, and influence.
- Industry: Measures income generated from industry partnerships and patents.
- International Outlook: Accounts for international students, staff, and co-authorships.
Top Iranian Universities in the Rankings
Leading the pack of Iranian universities is Sharif University of Technology, which holds a global ranking of 301-350. Following closely are:
- Amirkabir University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology (ranked 351–400)
- Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and University of Tehran (ranked 401-500)
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz University of Technology, and Babol Noshirvani University of Technology (ranked 501-600)
Subject Rankings Overview
In a remarkable showing, the 2025 rankings feature 81 Iranian universities excelling in 10 out of 11 subject areas, an increase from 73 universities in 2024. The recognized subject areas include:
- Arts and Humanities
- Business and Economics
- Clinical and Health
- Computer Science
- Education
- Engineering
- Life Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
The eleventh subject, Law, was not included in the rankings.
Highlights in Specific Subjects
Iran’s strongest performances are in Computer Science and Engineering. The rankings in these subjects are as follows:
- Arts and Humanities:
- University of Tehran (401-500)
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and Shahid Beheshti University (501-600)
- Allameh Tabatabaei University and University of Isfahan (601)
- Business and Economics:
- University of Tehran (201-250)
- Sharif University of Technology (301-400)
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Iran University of Science and Technology (401-500)
- Computer Science:
- Sharif University of Technology (151-175)
- University of Tehran (201-250)
- Amirkabir University of Technology (251-300)
- Engineering:
- Sharif University of Technology (151-175)
- University of Tehran (201-250)
- Iran University of Science and Technology (251-300)
Medical and Health Rankings
In the Life Sciences category, the following universities ranked at the top:
- Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
- Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
- University of Tehran (401-500)
In Medical and Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and Tehran University of Medical Sciences are jointly ranked first (301-400), followed by Qazvin University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (401-500).
Interdisciplinary Science Rankings
The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR) have recognized 29 Iranian universities for their contributions to interdisciplinary research, with a total of 749 universities evaluated globally. The University of Tehran leads with a global ranking of 77.
Other notable rankings include:
- Shiraz University (132)
- Razi University (174)
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (187)
- University of Tabriz (201-250)
QS Asia University Rankings
In the latest QS Asia University Rankings, 32 Iranian universities have made the list for 2025, an increase from 31 in the previous year. The top-ranked Iranian institution is the University of Tehran, holding a global ranking of 87. Following it are:
- Sharif University of Technology (97)
- Amirkabir University of Technology (114)
Additional universities ranked from fourth to tenth include Isfahan University of Technology, Shiraz University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, University of Tabriz, Shahid Beheshti University, and University of Isfahan.
This remarkable performance of Iranian universities in various global rankings showcases the growing excellence and potential of the country’s higher education system.
