Egypt’s higher education sector has achieved a new milestone on the global stage, with a record 51 universities featured in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which assess universities worldwide based on their performance in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The latest results mark a notable increase from 46 Egyptian universities listed in 2024 and a substantial leap from 28 institutions in 2023—underscoring the country’s accelerating commitment to aligning its academic sector with international sustainability and development benchmarks.
The THE Impact Rankings, now considered one of the most comprehensive assessments of universities’ social and environmental contributions, aim to highlight institutions not solely for academic prestige, but for tangible, community-focused outcomes linked to global development objectives such as climate action, gender equality, clean energy, innovation, and partnerships for sustainable growth.
A Growing National Footprint in Global Academia
Dr. Ayman Ashour, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, praised the results as an affirmation of Egypt’s strategic efforts to reform and elevate its higher education landscape.
“This continued upward trajectory in global rankings reflects the tremendous efforts our universities—public, private, international, national, and technological—are making to modernize the higher education system and align it with global standards,” Ashour stated in an official release.
He emphasized that the recognition is not merely statistical, but a clear indicator of the quality transformation under way across Egyptian academic institutions, which have increasingly prioritized research excellence, academic innovation, and community engagement as pillars of sustainable development.
From Local Reform to Global Recognition
Egypt’s performance in the 2025 rankings comes amid broader reforms aimed at boosting internationalization, digital transformation, and scientific competitiveness in the country’s university system. These include expanded investment in research infrastructure, greater emphasis on cross-border partnerships, and adherence to global quality assurance frameworks.
“The improvement in our rankings is a reflection of the systemic work being done to globalize Egyptian higher education and adopt international best practices in teaching, learning, and research,” Ashour added, calling the moment “a strategic inflection point for Egypt’s academic sector.”
Global Visibility, Local Impact
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings have grown in influence since their launch in 2019, as global attention to the SDGs intensifies and universities are increasingly held accountable not only for educational outcomes but for their broader social footprint.
In Egypt, the growing presence of local universities in the rankings signals that institutions are beginning to respond proactively to challenges such as climate change, access to education, sustainable cities, and decent work and economic growth—not only through academic research but through active engagement with their communities.
