TEHRAN –The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2026 has placed 101 Iranian universities among the top universities in the world in 11 subject areas, compared to 81 universities in 10 subject areas in 2025.

These ten subject rankings include arts and humanities; business and economics; clinical and health; computer science; education; engineering; life sciences; physical sciences; psychology;  social sciences, and Law.

To create the THE WUR 2026 list, THE’s data team drew on a comprehensive and growing database containing hundreds of thousands of data points on more than 3,100 global research universities, and employed a global Academic Reputation Survey of more than 108,000 leading scholars, who provided us with their expert views on the world’s leading universities.

In addition, it also analysed 174.9 million citations to 18.7 million academic publications (from Elsevier’s Scopus database) published over a five-year period between 2020 and 2024.

Amirkabir University of Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and Sharif University of Technology, ranking 351–400 globally,  are placed first in the country.

Iran University of Science and Technology, and University of Tehran are placed second, with a global ranking of 401–500.

Shiraz University of Technology, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences ranked 501–600 globally; they ranked third nationwide.

The country’s best ranking is in Engineering. The 2026 Engineering ranking evaluates universities across five core disciplines: general engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, civil engineering and chemical engineering.

Sharif University of Technology (126–150), University of Tehran (151–175), Amirkabir University of Technology (251–300), Iran University of Science and Technology (251–300), University of Tabriz (301–400), Isfahan University of Technology (401–500), and Tarbiat Modares University (401-500) are ranked first to fifth, respectively.

The Business and Economics ranking assesses performance across three core disciplines: business and management; accounting and finance; and economics and econometrics.

University of Tehran (201–250), Iran University of Science and Technology, and Sharif University of Technology (301–400), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (401–500), Shahid Beheshti University (501–600), and Yazd University (601–800), are placed first to fifth.

The 2026 Medical and Health ranking evaluates universities across medicine, dentistry, nursing and other healthcare disciplines.

Tehran University of Medical Sciences (251–300) is placed first in the country. Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (301–400), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and Tarbiat Modares University (401–500) are ranked second and third.

The 2026 Arts and Humanities ranking encompasses a diverse range of subjects, including: languages, literature and linguistics; history; philosophy; theology; architecture; archaeology; and art, performing arts and design.

Iran University of Science and Technology, and University of Tehran(401–500) ranked first in the country. Followed by Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Shahid Beheshti University, Shiraz University, and Tarbiat Modares University, ranking 501–600 globally.

The 2026 Life Sciences ranking evaluates universities across four core disciplines: veterinary science, biological sciences (including biology and biochemistry), agriculture and forestry, and sport science.

University of Tehran is placed first, with a global ranking of 401–500. Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, University of Maragheh, University of Tabriz, and Urmia University ranked second (501–600).

The 2026 Physical Sciences ranking assesses universities across several core disciplines: physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, astronomy, geology, and environmental, earth and marine sciences.

Iran University of Science and Technology, and University of Tehran are placed first, ranking 301–400 globally.

Amirkabir University of Technology, Sharif University of Technology, and Tarbiat Modares University ranked second with a global ranking of 401–500.

The 2026 Psychology ranking evaluates universities across several narrower disciplines: clinical psychology, educational psychology, sport psychology, business psychology and animal psychology.

Iran University of Medical Sciences, Kharazmi University, and University of Tehran ranked 501–600

Allameh Tabataba’i University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Shahid Beheshti University, Tarbiat Modares University, University of Isfahan, and University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences ranked 601+.

The Law ranking evaluates excellence across: constitutional and administrative law; international law; commercial and corporate law; criminal law and justice; and legal theory and jurisprudence, among other topics.

University of Tehran, ranking 301–400 globally, is the only Iranian University placed in this subject area.

The 2026 Social Sciences ranking encompasses a diverse range of subjects, including: communication and media studies, politics and international studies (including development studies), sociology, geography and anthropology.

Tarbiat Modares University, University of Tabriz, and University of Tehran shared the first place, ranking 401–500 globally.

Ferdowsi University of Mashhad is placed second (501–600), Shiraz University, University of Isfahan, and Yazd University are placed third, with a global ranking of 601–800.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026 evaluated 1,165 universities from 84 countries and territories, using 18 performance indicators categorised under five core pillars, including Teaching (evaluates teaching reputation, student-to-staff ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio, doctorate-to-staff ratio and institutional income), Research Environment (focuses on research reputation, income, and productivity), Research Quality (includes citation impact, research strength, research excellence, and influence, Industry (measures income from industry partnerships and patents),and International Outlook (accounts for international students, staff and co-authorship).

Asian universities achieve new milestones in Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, but they are rising fastest in humanities and social sciences.

Almost half of Asian institutions (47 per cent) improved their law ranking, while 32 per cent did so for education, 29 per cent for arts and humanities and 26 per cent for business and economics. Three Asian universities made the top 10 for business and economics for the first time.

In contrast, just 13 per cent of their counterparts in Europe and 17 per cent in North America improved in arts and humanities.

Recent rankings

A total of 44 Iranian universities were featured on the 15th edition of the GreenMetric World University Ranking 2025, up from 40 universities in 2024.

Razi University of Kermanshah, with a total score of 8,400, ranked first in Iran and 147 worldwide. Tarbiat Modares University, with a global ranking of 165, and Alzahra University, with a ranking of 209, are placed second and third, respectively.

University of Kashan (213), Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services (413), University of Mohaqeq Ardabili (549), University of Zanjan (573), Yazd University (605), Isfahan University of Technology (607), Zanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services (617) are ranked fourth to tenth.

The THE Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR) placed 28 Iranian universities among the top institutions worldwide for interdisciplinary science research, compared to 29 universities in the 2025 rankings.

Amirkabir University of Technology, with a global ranking of 99, ranked first in the country, ISNA reported.

Shahid Beheshti University (147), Shiraz University (196), and Golestan University (351-400) ranked second to fourth, respectively.

Bu-Ali Sina University, Razi University, University of Kurdistan, University of Mohaqeq Ardabili, Urmia University, and Yazd University ranked 401-500 globally.

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings placed 48 Iranian universities in the list of top universities in 2026, compared to 32 universities in 2025.

University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 93) is placed first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (ranking 142 globally) and Amirkabir University of Technology (ranking 169 globally), ISNA reported.

MT/MG