Egypt's higher education system is making waves internationally as both Al-Zagazig University and Kafrelsheikh University recently achieved significant milestones in the Scimago Rankings for 2025. These universities are stepping up their game, establishing Egypt as a formidable presence on the global academic stage.
Al-Zagazig University has successfully secured its position within the first category of the Scimago classification, ranking fifth among Egyptian universities and twelfth out of 317 universities globally. According to Dr. Khaled Al-Derdendly, the president of the university, the institution's scientific research index experienced over 17% improvement from the previous year, reflecting its commitment to academic excellence.
This advancement is attributed to the university's dedicated efforts to develop scientific research, boost innovation, and amplify its societal impact. Dr. Al-Derdendly emphasized plans to bolster international collaboration, thereby enhancing the university’s standing. "We strive continually to support our researchers and promote international publishing, alongside forging new partnerships with esteemed research institutions worldwide," he stated.
Al-Zagazig University has outperformed expectations across various disciplines. It ranked first locally and 40th globally in dental sciences, marking a remarkable jump of 21 places compared to last year. It also stands second nationally and 338th internationally in agricultural sciences, with marked progress of 60 places. Other commendable rankings include economics at 819th globally and business administration at 1396th.
Meanwhile, Kafrelsheikh University has announced its rise to the golden quarter globally, classifying as Q1 within the top 25% of universities worldwide. Dr. Abdelrazek Desouky, the president of Kafrelsheikh University, reported similar progress, with the university maintaining its twelfth place among Egyptian academic institutions for two consecutive years.
Exemplifying academic diversity, Kafrelsheikh University also appeared across 16 specializations. Notably, it ranked sixth among Egyptian universities for business administration, seventh for veterinary medical sciences, and eighth for environmental and engineering sciences. Dr. Desouky highlighted, "The achievements are the fruit of our unwavering commitment to quality education and impactful research output. We have placed considerable focus on both the quantity and quality of our scientific inquiry, ensuring relevancy to societal needs and national projects.”
The Scimago Rankings, regarded as one of the most important global classification tools, assesses universities based on three sub-indicators: 50% for research output, 30% for innovation outputs, and 20% for societal impact. This year, the classification included 9,756 international entities, among them universities, governmental and research institutions, and non-profits. Kafrelsheikh University’s advancement reflects its strategic efforts aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030, focusing on sustainable development and enhanced educational frameworks.
Dr. Ismail Al-Qun, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research at Kafrelsheikh University, reinforced the significance of these rankings, stating, "This recognition endorses our hard work and the progressive nature of higher education and scientific research here. It's not just about individual advancement; it contributes to Egypt's global higher education reputation.”
Both universities confirm the merits of showing significant resilience following educational reforms and prioritizing research needs through community-directed studies. They focused on developing advanced research capabilities, enhancing laboratories, and driving initiatives for international publishing to compete proactively both nationally and internationally.
The commitment of both Al-Zagazig and Kafrelsheikh universities is noteworthy, as they recognize the necessity of collaborative growth and status elevation within the academic community. Their impressive achievements not only showcase the quality of education provided but also the potential for future collaborations on international platforms.
With these latest advancements, both universities are on the right track to fulfilling their roles as pivotal centers for learning and research, thereby contributing to Egypt's vision of enhancing its education system and research output to meet national and global challenges.
This remarkable progress for Al-Zagazig and Kafrelsheikh universities signals positively for the future of higher education within the region, setting high standards for others to follow, and making bold strides toward global educational excellence.