The Lebanese American University has entered the top 10 of the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings. In the 2026 edition, LAU sits in ninth place across the Arab World, up from 12th in the previous edition.
The three-place jump makes LAU the only Lebanese university in this year's regional top 10. Times Higher Education ranked universities from across 18 countries and territories, with The British University in Dubai rounding out the top 10 in tenth.
It is reported to be the first time a Lebanese institution has reached the regional top 10. THE itself cautions that direct year-on-year comparisons are difficult this year, because it overhauled the Arab ranking methodology to bring it in line with its World University Rankings.
LAU Now Tops the Lebanon List in This Table
In the THE Arab University Rankings 2026, LAU is ranked first in Lebanon. That places it ahead of the American University of Beirut in this particular table, a notable result for the country's two best-known private universities.
The picture differs across other ranking systems. In the QS Arab Region Rankings 2026, AUB places higher than LAU. Different rankings use different methods, so a university can lead one table and trail in another.
LAU also holds strong positions elsewhere in the THE system. Its rankings page lists the university at first in Lebanon and joint third in the Arab World in the THE World University Rankings 2026, with a global band of 251 to 300.
How the Arab Table Is Built
The THE Arab University Rankings measure teaching, research quality, research environment, industry links, and international outlook. This year the system was tied to the methodology used for the global ranking, which is part of why positions shifted across the table.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia held first place for a record third year running. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates dominated the upper ranks, together making up more than three-quarters of the top 20, according to Times Higher Education.
What the Climb Signals for Lebanese Higher Education
Lebanon's universities have kept producing competitive results through years of economic strain. A move into the regional top 10 gives LAU a clearer pitch to prospective students, faculty, and research partners who weigh rankings when they choose where to study or collaborate.
For Lebanese higher education as a sector, the result is a rare piece of upward momentum on a regional scoreboard dominated by far better funded Gulf institutions. LAU's full ranking record was last updated on its official page on May 5, 2026.
