TEHRAN –The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2025 has placed 81 Iranian universities among the top universities in the world in 10 out of 11 subject areas, compared to 73 universities in 2024.

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

The Ranking includes 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five core pillars of evaluation: teaching (evaluates teaching reputation, student-to-staff ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor 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), International Outlook (accounts for international students, staff and co-authorship).

Iran’s best rankings are in Computer Science, and Engineering.

This year, 750 universities from 72 countries and territories are evaluated on their contributions to the broad range of disciplines in the arts and humanities. 

University of Tehran (401-500), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and Shahid Beheshti University (501-600), Allameh Tabatabaei University and University of Isfahan (601), are ranked first to third in art and humanities. 

Within the Business and Economics subject area, this year’s ranking includes 990 institutions from 85 countries. 

University of Tehran (201-250), Sharif University of Technology (301-400), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Iran University of Science and Technology (401-500), and Shahid Beheshti University (501-600) are the top five institutions in business and economics.

In computing and digital technologies, this comprehensive assessment ranks 1,122 institutions from 83 countries.

Sharif University of Technology (151-175), University of Tehran (201 -250), Amirkabir University of Technology (251-300), Iran University of Science and Technology (301-400), Isfahan University of Technology and University of Tabriz (401-500) are placed first to fifth in Computer Science, respectively.

The Education Studies table evaluates schools and colleges across three core disciplines: Education Studies, Teacher Training and Academic Studies in Education.

Some 767 institutions from 87 countries are ranked in Education Studies. 

Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Kharazmi University (301-400), Allameh Tabatabaei University (401-500), Shahid Beheshti University and Shiraz University (501-600) are the top three universities in Education Studies.

The Engineering table evaluates universities across five core disciplines: General Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering. 

A total of 1,488 institutions from 97 countries are ranked in Engineering.

Sharif University of Technology (151-175), University of Tehran (201-250), and Iran University of Science and Technology (251-300) are ranked first to third in Engineering, respectively.

The Life Sciences table evaluates universities across four core disciplines: Veterinary Science, Biological Sciences (including biology and biochemistry), Agriculture and Forestry, and Sport Science. This year’s rankings include 1,143 institutions from 98 countries.

Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources,  Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and University of Tehran ranked first nationally; they rank 401-500 globally.

The Medical and Health table evaluates universities across medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other healthcare disciplines. This year’s ranking includes 1,150 institutions from 102 countries.

Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and Tehran University of Medical Sciences jointly rank first (301-400), Qazvin University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences rank second (401-500).

The Physical Sciences table evaluates universities across several core disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, Astronomy, Geology, and Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences. This year’s rankings include 1,447 institutions from 107 countries.

Iran University of Science and Technology, Sharif University of Technology, and University of Tehran ranked first (301-400 globally).

Amirkabir University of Technology, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, and University of Tabriz are placed second with a global ranking of 401-500.

The Psychology table evaluates schools and colleges across several narrower disciplines: Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sport Psychology, Business Psychology and Animal Psychology. This year’s rankings include 654 institutions from 66 countries.

University of Tehran (401-500) is placed first. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,  Iran University of Medical Sciences, Kharazmi University,  Shahid Beheshti University,  University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences are placed next, with a global ranking of 501-600.

The Social Sciences table evaluates universities across key disciplines: Communication and Media Studies, Politics and International Studies (including Development Studies), Sociology, Geography and Anthropology. This year’s rankings include 1,093 institutions from 100 countries.

The top three universities are University of Tehran  (301-400), University of Tabriz (401-500), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad,  and Shiraz University (501-600). 

Recent rankings

THE Interdisciplinary Science Rankings (ISR) has placed 29 Iranian universities among top institutions worldwide for interdisciplinary science research.

ISR is a project launched in association with Schmidt Science Fellows; it has ranked a total of 749 universities from 92 countries.

University of Tehran with a global ranking of 77 is placed first in the country. 

Shiraz University (ranked 132 globally) Razi University (174), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (187), University of Tabriz (201-250) ranked second to fifth, respectively.

Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, and Urmia University are ranked joint sixth with a global ranking of 251-300.

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings placed 32 Iranian universities in the list of top universities in 2025, compared to 31 universities in 2024.

Published annually since 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings highlight the top universities in Asia each year. 

University of Tehran (with a global ranking of 87) is placed first among Iranian universities, followed by Sharif University of Technology (ranking 97 globally) and Amirkabir University of Technology (ranking 114 globally), Mehr news agency reported.

Isfahan University of Technology, Shiraz University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, University of Tabriz, Shahid Beheshti University, and University of Isfahan are ranked fourth to tenth, respectively. 

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 placed 85 Iranian universities among the top institutions compared to 75 universities in 2024.

The 2025 rankings include 2,092 ranked universities from 115 countries. There are 185 new entries compared with last year.

Recognized as the world’s most comprehensive evaluation of university performance, the latest methodology includes 18 carefully calibrated indicators to assess institutions across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.

Sharif University of Technology ranked first in the country with a global ranking of 301-350.

Amirkabir University of Technology, and Iran University of Science and Technology (ranking globally 351 –400) were placed second.

Kermanshah University of Medical Science, and University of Tehran were placed third with a global ranking of 401- 500.

Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shiraz University of Technology, and Tehran University of Technology were ranked joint fourth, they ranked 601-800, globally.