Dubai’s best international university campuses for 2022 revealed in new ranking

City, University of London's Dubai campus is the top performer this year

Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority released its latest ranking of best and worst-performing international university campuses and the University of Manchester is Dubai's second-best university with a score of 898 points and five stars. It ranks highly for teaching, employability, research and programme strength. Photo: The University of Manchester Worldwide

Manipal Academy of Higher Education is the third-best with 876 points and five stars. Photo: Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Hult International Business School scored 843 points and five stars, making it the fourth-best higher education institution in the city. Sarah Dea / The National

Curtin University Dubai campus also received a five-star rating and 804 points. Photo: Curtin University Dubai

Murdoch University Dubai was awarded five stars and 800 points. Photo: Supplied

Heriot-Watt University Dubai maintained its five star rating this year and scored 796 points. Courtesy: Heriot-Watt University 

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani received a five-star rating and 700 points. Photo: BITS Pilani

Dubai has revealed its best international university campuses in its latest higher education league table.

The Higher Education Classification, developed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), in partnership with Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK company specialising in the analysis of higher education institutions around the world, provides a rating of 17 campuses of international universities covering the 2020-21 academic period.

This is the first time that KHDA has revealed the actual score of each campus, instead of the star system that was used in previous years.

The universities were assessed on criteria such as teaching, employability, internationalisation, research, programme strength, arts and culture and happiness, and well-being.

City, University of London has been rated the best international university campus this year.

The university's Dubai Centre, established in February 2007 in collaboration with the Dubai International Financial Centre, was recognised for its high standard of education and learning environment and scored 914 points out of 1,000.

The University of Manchester is Dubai's second-best university with a score of 898. It is ranked highly for teaching, employability, research and programme strength.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education is the third-best with 876, while Hult International Business School scored 843, making it the fourth-best higher education institution in the city.

Curtin University got 804 points; Murdoch University 800 points; Heriot-Watt University 796 points; London Business School 780 points; Middlesex University 757 points; Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani Dubai campus 700 points; SP Jain School of Global Management 751 points; SAE Institute 740 points; Amity University Dubai 723 points; ESMOD French Fashion Institute 612 points; University of Bradford 691 points; University Paris II Pantheon-Assas 553 points and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology 348 points.

The rating system is aimed at helping future and current students get the information they need to make informed decisions when choosing a university.

KHDA also published its star ranking for this year.

According to the authority, a 1-star rating means the institution provides "a good standard of education to students and has the necessary organisational structure to enable progress and development".

At the top end of the scale, a 5+-star rating includes aspects such as being "recognised as a leader in global higher education."

Eighty-two per cent of the campuses have received a four-and five-star rating. Only 64 per cent received the same stars in 2020.

Of the 17 universities rated this year, 10 achieved a five-star rating including Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Murdoch University, Curtin University, Heriot-Watt University, London Business School, City, University of London, Middlesex University Dubai, Hult International Business School, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, and The University of Manchester.

Four universities achieved a 4-star rating, while two received a 3-star and one 2-stars.

The worst-performing institution in the city with two stars was Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology.

Dr Wafi Dawood, chief executive of the strategy and planning sector at KHDA said, “Since it started in 2018, the Rating of International Higher Education Institutions in Dubai has given students and their parents the information and data they need to make confident decisions about their future.

"The rating system enables universities to identify and showcase their international best practices.

"We thank the thousands of students who have chosen Dubai for their university studies and we’re grateful to universities in Dubai for their continued commitment to quality. We appreciate the help of our partners at QS to make Dubai a world leader in higher education.”

KHDA did not publish higher education ratings last year amid the pandemic and the higher education classification was last published in 2020.

Dubai was named the best city in the Middle East for student life this week in the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023.