Morocco’s Hassan II University, UM6P Enter Shanghai Ranking’s Top 1,000

Rabat – Morocco has secured a stronger foothold in one of the world’s most closely watched university rankings, with two institutions listed among the top 1,000 universities globally in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), known as the Shanghai Ranking.

Hassan II University of Casablanca and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) both appear in the 901–1000 bracket in the ranking released today.

The result gives Morocco two institutions in the global ranking at the same time for the first time. It also points to a gradual shift in the country’s position on the international research map, where university performance increasingly depends on research output, scientific influence, and international recognition.

For Hassan II University, the result confirms a steady presence rather than a one-off achievement. The Casablanca-based institution has remained among the world’s top 1,000 universities for three consecutive years, since first appearing in the ranking in 2024.

UM6P, meanwhile, has reached a new stage in its relatively young academic history. The university has entered the ARWU’s overall ranking for the first time, after gaining visibility in previous years through subject-specific rankings.

Because both universities fall within the same 901–1000 band, they share the top position nationally. ARWU places institutions alphabetically when they receive scores within the same range.

Research performance puts the two universities close

The figures also reveal a relatively narrow gap between the two Moroccan institutions across several of the ranking’s main indicators.

Hassan II University and UM6P received the same score for highly cited researchers, a measure that reflects the international influence of academic work. UM6P has a slight edge in publications in Nature and Science, as well as in the number of indexed research papers.

The two universities also record similar results in the ranking’s per-capita performance indicator.

Neither institution earned points for Nobel Prize or Fields Medal indicators. These measures tend to favor universities with long-established research traditions and a history of producing laureates in the world’s most prestigious academic awards.

UM6P’s strongest results appear in fields that closely match its scientific profile. It ranks among the world’s top 76–100 universities for Mining and Mineral Engineering. It also places in the 401–500 range for Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Agricultural Sciences.

Those results underline the university’s focus on science and research with a strong practical dimension, particularly in areas linked to industry, agriculture, natural resources, and technological innovation.

US universities still set the pace

The top of the 2026 Shanghai Ranking remains firmly in the hands of US universities.

Harvard University holds onto first place, ahead of Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The University of Cambridge, UC Berkeley, Princeton University, Oxford, Columbia University, Caltech, and the University of Chicago complete the Top 10.

The United States continues to dominate the upper end of the ranking, particularly the Top 100.

China, however, continues to close the gap in terms of overall presence. More than 220 Chinese universities feature in the Top 1,000, reflecting the country’s expanding research capacity and sustained investment in higher education.

For Morocco, the latest results offer a broader picture than a simple ranking position. Hassan II University’s continued presence shows growing consistency, while UM6P’s first appearance in the overall ARWU highlights the rapid rise of a newer research institution.

Together, the two universities give Morocco a stronger presence on the global academic stage and provide another indication of the country’s expanding research ambitions.