Khalifa University

About

Khalifa University is a public research university located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was established in its current form in February 2017 by decree of UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, through the merger of three institutions: Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR), the Petroleum Institute, and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. The university comprises three colleges, three research institutes, and 20 research centers covering science, engineering, and medicine. Khalifa University is the top ranked university in the United Arab Emirates and among the leading research institutions in the Arab world. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, it is placed 177th globally and 3rd in the Arab region — ranking 11th globally for international faculty and 37th globally for academic reputation. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, it is placed 201st globally and 5th in the Arab region. Its research output is among the most cited in the region — between 2022 and 2024 the university produced 7,018 publications with a Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) of 2.21, meaning its research receives on average more than double the citations of comparable work worldwide. In 2024, 112 faculty members were included in the Stanford University–Elsevier Top 2% worldwide scientists list.

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