North Africa’s higher education landscape is showing steady depth and diversity in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, with institutions from both Morocco and Egypt making strong impressions on the regional and global stage.
- Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 universities in North Africa, according to latest ranking (2026).
- The list is courtesy of Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.
- Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco) ranks first in North Africa.
Leading the pack is Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco), which ranks first in North Africa, reflecting Morocco’s growing investment in research-driven, innovation-focused education. Close behind is the American University in Cairo (Egypt), securing second place and reinforcing Egypt’s long-established academic influence in the region.
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While Egypt accounts for the majority of universities in the top 10, underlining its scale and research output, Morocco also maintains a visible presence.
Below are the top 10 universities in North Africa, according to latest ranking (2026):
1. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco)
Rank: 351–400 Overall score: 49.9–51.5
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 34.7
- Research Environment: 34.9
- Research Quality: 72.7
- Industry Income: 56.2
- International Outlook: 72.8
Established in 2016, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is part of Morocco’s Green City project launched by King Mohammed VI in 2009, an urban development initiative designed to promote sustainability, research and innovation.
Academically, the university is organised into five clusters: Science and Technology, Humanities, Economics and Social Sciences, Business and Management, and Medical and Paramedical Sciences. UM6P positions itself as a research-driven institution focused on applied sciences and Africa’s development challenges.
2. American University in Cairo (Egypt)
Rank: 601–800 Overall score: 39.0–43.5
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 30.1
- Research Environment: 25.9
- Research Quality: 53.7
- Industry Income: 33.9
- International Outlook: 71.9
Founded in 1919, the American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution in the Arab world. It serves as a major intellectual, social and cultural hub in the region.
The university offers 37 undergraduate programmes, 44 master’s degrees and two PhDs, grounded in a liberal arts education that encourages critical thinking and innovation.
3. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) (Egypt)
Rank: 601–800 Overall score: 39.0–43.5
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 30.7
- Research Environment: 27.4
- Research Quality: 65.0
- Industry Income: 40.8
- International Outlook: 53.3
Established in 2009 in Alexandria, E-JUST is a joint initiative between the Egyptian and Japanese governments. The university welcomed its first students in 2010 and operates with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japanese Supporting University Consortium.
E-JUST focuses heavily on science, engineering and technology, with a strong research orientation and emphasis on Japanese academic models.
4. Kafrelsheikh University (Egypt)
Rank: 601–800 Overall score: 39.0–43.5
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 28.7
- Research Environment: 9.6
- Research Quality: 76.9
- Industry Income: 21.6
- International Outlook: 53.1
Founded in 2006, Kafrelsheikh University is a public institution with around 30,000 students and approximately 1,500 faculty members.
The university comprises 19 faculties spanning scientific, health-related and humanities disciplines. It also hosts three specialised research institutes focused on nanoscience, drug discovery and nursing technology.
5. Ain Shams University (Egypt)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 28.6
- Research Environment: 27.5
- Research Quality: 50.4
- Industry Income: 41.0
- International Outlook: 53.1
Founded in 1950, Ain Shams University is a public institution located across seven campuses in Greater Cairo.
It comprises 15 faculties along with several research institutions and provides on-campus housing, sports and recreational facilities for students.
6. Al-Azhar University (Egypt)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 22.1
- Research Environment: 12.8
- Research Quality: 68.0
- Industry Income: 24.6
- International Outlook: 58.9
Founded in 970 AD in Cairo, Al-Azhar University is one of the world’s oldest surviving universities. Although it formally became a modern university in 1961, it has long been a global centre of Islamic scholarship. Today, it combines religious studies with secular disciplines such as business, science, medicine, engineering and agriculture, and its library remains one of the most significant in Egypt.
7. Alexandria University (Egypt)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 20.7
- Research Environment: 18.2
- Research Quality: 63.5
- Industry Income: 31.7
- International Outlook: 55.0
Established in 1938, Alexandria University is Egypt’s second-largest university, hosting around 150,000 full-time students, over 16,000 part-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 international students. Supported by more than 8,000 academic staff, over half with PhDs, the institution has expanded from its original seven faculties to 23 today.
8. Cairo University (Egypt)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 29.4
- Research Environment: 20.0
- Research Quality: 60.7
- Industry Income: 42.7
- International Outlook: 48.6
Founded in 1908, Cairo University is one of Egypt’s oldest public universities and enrolls roughly 230,000 students, about 3% of whom are international. The university offers programmes across more than 25 faculties, including engineering, medicine, agriculture and archaeology, with courses ranging from pomology to physical therapy.
9. Future University in Egypt (Egypt)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 22.2
- Research Environment: 10.6
- Research Quality: 78.6
- Industry Income: 18.0
- International Outlook: 64.4
Founded in 2006 and based in New Cairo, Future University in Egypt offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees across multiple faculties including oral and dental medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, engineering and technology, economics and political science, business administration, and computer and information technology.
10. International University of Rabat (Morocco)
Rank: 801–1000 Overall score: 35.5–38.9
Performance indicators:
- Teaching: 18.4
- Research Environment: 12.0
- Research Quality: 73.2
- Industry Income: 31.0
- International Outlook: 76.3
Established in 2010 in Morocco’s capital, Rabat, the International University of Rabat comprises nine schools covering business, science, law, energy engineering, computer science, aerospace and automotive engineering, architecture, dental medicine, and languages, cultures and civilisations.
