Global university rankings are an important scientific tool for measuring the performance of higher education institutions and comparing them at the international level. They rely on quantitative and qualitative indicators related to the quality of education, scientific research, academic impact, and international reputation. Among the most prominent of these rankings is QS World University Rankings, which places significant emphasis on academic reputation and employer opinions, in addition to research output and the proportion of international students, giving it a character that combines academic standing with labor market relevance
Another influential ranking is the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which adopts a balanced methodology that includes teaching quality, research strength, citation impact, and international outlook, making it more comprehensive in evaluating institutional performance. Meanwhile, the Academic Ranking of World Universities, commonly known as the Shanghai Ranking, focuses primarily on research excellence and prestigious scientific achievements such as major international awards and publications in high-impact journals, which leads it to highlight major research-intensive universities
Despite their importance in providing comparative indicators, the results of these rankings vary according to the criteria adopted; therefore, they should be considered as guiding tools that reflect one aspect of a university’s quality rather than its complete picture