Al-Mustaqbal University, ranked first among private universities in Iraq, has further strengthened its academic and research standing after securing first place among Iraqi private universities and colleges in the URAP World Ranking 2026 for the third consecutive year, reaffirming the success of its institutional strategy in supporting scientific research and advancing educational quality in accordance with international standards. This achievement follows the announcement of the results of the University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP), one of the world’s most prominent ranking systems for evaluating academic performance and research productivity. Al-Mustaqbal University ranked first among Iraqi private universities and achieved third place nationally among both public and private universities, following the University of Baghdad and the University of Technology. At the international level, the university recorded a remarkable advancement of 294 positions worldwide compared with the previous year’s results, reflecting continuous progress in research quality, increased citation impact, and expanded academic and research collaboration with international institutions. The URAP ranking is based exclusively on data documented in the Clarivate Analytics databases and relies on a set of precise indicators, including the number of scientific publications, citation impact, research productivity, and international collaboration. This methodology makes URAP one of the most reliable global rankings for assessing the academic and research performance of higher education institutions worldwide. This accomplishment reflects Al-Mustaqbal University’s commitment to continuously developing its scientific and research environment and strengthening its presence in prestigious international rankings, in line with its vision of achieving academic excellence and supporting the advancement of higher education and scientific research in Iraq. The achievement also demonstrates the university’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through supporting scientific research, promoting innovation, and expanding international academic cooperation, thereby enhancing Iraq’s presence within the global academic community. AL_mustaqbal University is the first university in Iraq