The index — compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a UK company that specializes in the analysis of higher education institutions worldwide — continues the steady increase during the past five years in the number of Saudi universities included in the list.

Starting with the 2019 rankings, when nine institutions in the Kingdom were represented, the number grew to 10 in 2020, 11 in 2021 and 14 in the 2022 rankings.

The latest index is the largest ever, featuring 1,300 universities from around the globe. The Kingdom is now only six spots away from having a university in the top 100. King Abdulaziz University leads the way among Saudi institutions in joint 106th place, three spots higher than last year, followed by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals at 160, and King Saud University at 237. Al-Faisal University and the Northern Borders University are among those making their debut in the rankings.

The QS index is considered an important evaluation of universities based on a variety of criteria. They are assessed by more than 130,000 experts around the world.