Latest news with #StanfordUniversity
Arabian Business
an hour ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Top Arab universities 2026 revealed: Education institutions in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Oman climb QS rankings
The best universities in the world have been named in a prestigious academic ranking, with a Saudi institution taking the top spot in the Arab region. QS Quacquarelli Symonds released its highly respected rankings of global universities on Thursday and institutions in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and around the Arab world saw progress. In global rankings, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the top position for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University. Best Arab universities revealed Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) was ranked as the best Arab university and achieved a new global milestone by entering the list of the world's top 100 universities, ranking 67th. This advancement is a direct result of the university's strategic transformation launched in 2020, during which it climbed from 200th to 67th place in just five years. The new QS rankings evaluated more than 8,467 universities from across 106 locations and the 2026 QS World University Rankings featured 107 universities from the Arab Region—25 more than last year. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) leads the Arab region, rising to 67th globally—the first Arab institution ever to enter the top 100. Qatar University climbs to 112th, and King Saud University advances to 143rd, reinforcing the region's growing influence on the global higher education stage. The QS methodology evaluates universities based on key indicators, including academic reputation (assessed through expert surveys on teaching and research quality), employer reputation (measuring graduate employability), and faculty-to-student ratios (reflecting educational quality). Research impact is gauged through citation metrics, while international faculty and student ratios demonstrate institutional diversity and global appeal. Additional metrics encompass sustainability performance, contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), graduate employment outcomes, and international research collaboration networks. Top Arab Institutions in QS World University Rankings 2026 KFUPM in Saudi Arabia is now ranked 67 in the world Qatar University in Qatar is now ranked 112 in the world King Saud University in Saudi Arabia is now ranked 143 in the world King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia is now ranked 163 in the world Khalifa University in UAE is now ranked 177 in the world United Arab Emirates University in UAE is now ranked 229 in the world American University of Beirut in Lebanon is now ranked 237 in the world Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar is now ranked 244 in the world American University of Sharjah in UAE is now ranked 272 in the world University of Jordan in Jordan is now ranked 324 in the world University of Sharjah in UAE is now ranked 328 in the world Sultan Qaboos University in Oman is now ranked 334 in the world Cairo University in Egypt is now ranked 337 in the world The American University in Cairo in Egypt is now ranked 381 in the world Abu Dhabi University in UAE is now ranked 391 in the world In total, 42 percent of ranked Arab universities improved their position, 32 per cent remained stable, and 26 percent declined. Eleven institutions appear in the rankings for the first time—six from Jordan, five from Iraq, and three each from Lebanon and Oman. Saudi Arabia adds two new entrants, and Palestine sees one institution ranked for the first time. The UAE sees seven of its 12 universities rise in rank, with Khalifa University entering the top 200. Egypt added five new entries, while Cairo University climbed to 347th. Jordan and Iraq are among the top contributors of new ranked universities worldwide. Ben Sowter, QS Senior Vice President, said:'Only nine countries added five or more universities to the rankings this year—and three of them are in the Arab region. This reflects a rapidly evolving ecosystem.' Governments in the region are increasingly linking higher education performance to national goals. Saudi Arabia aims for five universities in the top 200 by 2030. The UAE aligns rankings with its Higher Education Strategy 2030, and Egypt incorporates education as a central element of its Vision 2030. As global competition intensifies QS underscores the importance of international visibility, research collaboration, and graduate outcomes for maintaining momentum. King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals is now listed as the first ever Arab university to enter the global top 100. Last year, the university ranked 101st, underscoring the remarkable progress made in just one year. University President Dr. Muhammad Al Saggaf noted that KFUPM's entry into the global top 100 reflects the university's bold vision and the tremendous support it receives from the Kingdom's leadership. He described this as a pivotal moment in the university's journey toward global prominence, with even greater aspirations ahead. KFUPM's comprehensive transformation has spanned across academic, research, and administrative domains. Nearly 100 new programs have been launched, including innovative undergraduate and graduate offerings. The university also introduced the region's first entrepreneurship program, granting students and researchers full ownership of their startups—a move that reflects a modern, innovation-driven academic culture focused on economic empowerment. Khalifa University of Science and Technology is the highest ranked university in the UAE, jumping 25 places to be ranked 177th globally. For eight consecutive years, Khalifa University has remained the top institution in the UAE, reinforcing its status as a national leader in higher education and research. In the 2026 edition, the university leads across several key indicators, including 11th in the world for 'International Faculty,' top in the UAE for 'Citations per Faculty' and 'Faculty Student Ratio', affirming its leadership in attracting global talent and producing high-impact scientific research. Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: 'As global academic and research landscape evolves, our consistent climb to reach the top 200 in the 2026 QS World University Rankings reinforces Khalifa University's status as a driving force in science and technology, particularly among researchers and students seeking world-class opportunities closer to home. The 177th rank remains a testament to our faculty and students whose work continues to make a positive impact, while highlighting our global growing presence. Through our diverse academic community and our expanding international and regional industry collaborations, we are consistently contributing to meeting UAE's ambitions in knowledge economy leadership.' The 2026 QS World University Rankings recognised five Omani higher education institutions, including Sultan Qaboos University, University of Nizwa, Dhofar University, Sohar University, and the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech). Sultan Qaboos University achieved significant progress, climbing 28 spots to secure the 334th position globally. This performance reflects the steady advancement of Oman's academic and research infrastructure, as reported by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the UK-based global higher education analyst, on its official 2026 rankings website. QS World University Rankings 2026 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States Imperial College London, United Kingdom Stanford University, United States University of Oxford, United Kingdom Harvard University, United States University of Cambridge, United Kingdom ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Switzerland National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore UCL (University College London), United Kingdom California Institute of Technology (Caltech), United States
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Science for All: Krill don't have jet lag, thanks to their circadian rhythm
(This article forms a part of the Science for All newsletter that takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in! Subscribe now!) Krill (Euphausia superba) are transparent marine organisms. Each krill is the size of a matchbox but they travel the open seas in swarms of several thousands. They are prey to millions of seals, penguins, and whales in the Southern Ocean, a rapidly warming water body whose temperature has significant effects on tropical rainfall. All organisms have an internal clock called the circadian rhythm that syncs with the day/night cycle. If the natural cycle is interrupted, so is the rhythm. This is why you have jet lag. Yet krill have been found to have a circadian rhythm that ticks on even when their days and nights are distorted. Researchers from Germany and the U.K. recently reported this finding in eLife. Every day, krill move to the surface of the ocean and back down to feed and fend off predators. This collective swimming is called diel vertical migration (DVM). They tend to move towards the surface at night and to the depths during the day. The study took a closer look at the mechanism that drives DVM. 'We know that krill move up and down in the water column each day which also has important implications on nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, but we don't know what mechanism governs this behaviour. This study sheds light on that, and will help us better understand and conserve this incredible species,' Matthew Savoca, a research scientist at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University and who wasn't involved in the study, said. In 2024, the team developed a device called Activity Monitor for Aquatic Zooplankter (AMAZE). It's an observation incubator with 80-cm-long acrylic glass columns. Laser light is passed through the columns. When krill swim through them, they interrupt the laser light, which a detector records to track the krill's movement. For the experiment, the researchers collected krill from the Bransfield Strait and the South Orkney Islands located about 800 km and 1,250 km southeast, respectively, from the bottom tip of South America. They divided the samples into two groups. The first was immediately transferred to AMAZE, which simulated the natural durations of day and night around the islands. Some days were short (5.5 hours) and others much longer (15 hours). Then the krill were placed in complete darkness for 4-8 days. The scientists observed the second group of kill in their natural conditions using hydroacoustics, then they were moved to AMAZE and kept in darkness. Researchers studied the second group in conditions corresponding to the four seasons. Krill's DVM activity increased towards the night and decreased during morning hours. Notably, the scientists found that when DVM began or ended was fixed to daytime and nighttime whenever they happened, rather than to particular hours of the day. In fact the krill maintained the same DVM patterns even in complete darkness. If the days were long, the krill fed for fewer hours. And if nights were longer, they fed for longer and in phases. As krill move across the ocean via currents, they influence the lives of many other creatures around them. Lukas Hüppe, a doctoral researcher at the University of Würzburg in Germany and coauthor of the study, expressed optimism about the findings' implications for the Southern Ocean ecosystem, which centres around this species. 'The findings provide novel insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of daily and seasonal timing in Antarctic krill, a marine pelagic key species, endemic to a high-latitude region,' the researchers wrote in their paper. 'Mechanistic studies are a prerequisite for understanding how krill adapt to their specific environment and their flexibility in responding to environmental changes.' Manaswini Vijayakumar is interning with The Hindu. From the Science pages Question Corner What is synthetic aperture radar? Find out here Flora and fauna
Khaleej Times
18 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
When the ideal isn't real: What's cognitive dissonance and how to tackle it?
Amara* had always associated success with stability – the kind rooted in a familiar neighbourhood and a fulfilling career, all within the close-knit community she grew up in. As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants who built a modest, middle-class life in the US, she was raised to believe that education was the surest path to that success. So with her parents' support, she earned degrees from Stanford University and the University of Michigan, and seemed firmly on track to create the life she had long envisioned for herself. But now, seven years into her expat journey in Qatar, her reality looks very different. 'I really figured that by this age I would be living in a nice gated community in the US, balancing raising my kids with a fulfilling career at a multinational company, surrounded by the friends and family that I grew up with,' said Amara, 38. 'I never dreamed of living so far away from home, and being just a stay-at-home mum.' Her move to Doha in 2018 to be with her husband marked a detour that, over time, began to feel like a derailment. 'For my first job in Qatar, I opted to take what felt like a step backwards in order to move my marriage and my family forward. Looking back, I think that this step moved me further away from achieving my imagined reality than I could have thought,' she reflected. A mismatch Amara's experience is far from unique. According to Vinita Mane, a CDA-licensed therapist and faculty leader at Westford University College in Sharjah, 'Cognitive dissonance, in this context, occurs when there's a mismatch between the ideal life one envisioned and the reality of daily struggles, lack of employment or job insecurity, and multitasking between roles that may not align with one's skills or specialisation.' This inner tension can have far-reaching effects. 'It can cause emotional distress, strained relationships, and sometimes the development of maladaptive behaviours or coping mechanisms,' Mane explained. For Amara, the dissonance became most palpable after the birth of her second child. 'I knew that going back to work at the time wasn't going to be my reality. And from there I watched my unemployment gap widen and widen,' she said. 'Now, with three kids, I feel less and less confident that I will be able to seamlessly re-enter the workforce and do the things I once wanted to do professionally.' Distance from home and a lack of support system only magnified Amara's feelings of dissonance. 'I believe that having community that you can lean on for help and that you can be vulnerable with in times of challenge are so important,' she said. 'Now I am in a place that can feel very lonely. Folks come and go frequently so it can feel emotionally draining to invest in relationships only to see them end abruptly and unexpectedly.' Expatriates like Amara, whether in the Gulf or elsewhere, arrive with many expectations. They then face difficult choices: to assimilate, integrate, or separate from the dominant culture. 'One of humanity's greatest strengths is adaptability. We possess the ability to learn, evolve, and integrate into new environments. Those who embrace change with openness and curiosity are more likely to manage dissonance effectively,' Mane explained. 'One's emotional and psychological well-being – and even physical health – can be directly impacted by the inability to adapt, especially when individuals cling too tightly to their original expectations instead of adjusting to their current reality.' For a long time, Amara experienced what she described as a persistent, heavy emotional state marked by deep sadness. This stemmed from unmet expectations and the loss of the life she had once envisioned – one that included a career, financial autonomy, and a rooted sense of home. Seeking help Through therapy, she began to process that grief, giving herself permission to feel disappointment while working to reshape her goals within her current reality. Amara has learned that acknowledgment is key. 'I've worked hard not to brush away my feelings but to name them, to understand what is driving them and to affirm that not having been able to build that life that I wanted does not make me less valuable or less competent or less worthy of love and appreciation and admiration.' Therapy has encouraged her to re-frame success and find new meaning. 'I've been able to dig deep to identify my core values and how my prior goals aligned with them. Moving forward, I'm working on creating new goals based on those core values, but within my current context.' In addition to this type of work, Mane recommends cognitive restructuring: a therapeutic technique that challenges negative or irrational thought patterns and helps to develop a growth mindset. 'A psychologist can guide you through this journey, helping you better understand your emotions, build resilience, and develop healthier ways of thinking.' Today, Amara's expat experience is deeply intentional. 'Cultivating gratitude and grace are things that have taken me a long way in managing the discomfort that comes along with the dissonance. 'As I have begun to re-frame and redefine my goals, my expat experience has improved. I am able to see so much value in it and to have a lot of gratitude in it while still holding space for the fact that there are some aspects of it that I do not like.' She added, 'My goal is not to erase the dissonance but to claim it, and keep on re-envisioning my life day after day." Qatar
West Australian
20 hours ago
- Health
- West Australian
Angela Pownall: I got rid of my gas cooktop because research shows it's harmful to our health
Australia may have cemented its love affair with gas with the recent extension of Woodside's North West Shelf project in WA until 2070, but at home I've said goodbye to gas. I hadn't given much thought to my gas cooktop until recently. It was old and a bit grubby but its replacement certainly wasn't at the top of my to-do list around the home. Until I read a new US study which found that high gas stove usage at home without proper ventilation 'greatly increases cancer risks.' Even more worrying is the finding that children's cancer risk by gas stove exposure is almost double than that for adults. Scientists from Stanford University measured the emissions from gas cooktops in 87 American kitchens. They also tracked the pollutants' spread to other rooms and measured how long they lingered in other parts of the house, including bedrooms which was of particular concern, given we spend a third of our lives in bed. High-efficiency ventilation was found to substantially reduce benzene exposure, but the report authors said there is no safe limit for long-term exposure. Research findings like this are not new, with the Stanford report citing previous studies showing that exposure to gas and propane stoves is harmful to human health under certain conditions. And that combustion produces numerous pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (an irritant that causes respiratory disease and aggravates asthma), carbon monoxide (which reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen), formaldehyde and benzene (which are both known human carcinogens). With a toddler at home, the guilt of my ignorance about this weighed heavily on me. Thankfully it was a quick and easy process to swap over to an electric cooktop, and switch off my gas supply. According to Energy Consumers Australia, disconnecting from the mains gas network will save me nearly $400 a year on my energy bill . Energy Consumers Australia's latest survey showed only 24 per cent of West Australians are planning to cancel their gas supply within the next 10 years — the lowest in the country. But I suspect many more would consider it if they were aware of the health risks of gas cooktops. Why aren't our government health departments and health promotion organisations alerting the public to these dangers? The ACT and Victorian governments have implemented policies to prevent new residential mains gas connections. While stating this is being done to reduce fossil fuel emissions, there will be long-term health benefits for generations of residents. Unfortunately WA is not moving in the same direction. WA Premier Roger Cook said in 2023 WA would not follow Victoria in banning gas connections to new homes. It's a stance that needs to change in response to mounting evidence that gas cooktops pose an unnecessary risk to health, particularly that of our children.
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
‘Great news for education sector…': PM Modi as 54 Indian institutions feature in QS World University 2026 Rankings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a social media post on Thursday, 19 June 2025, congratulated Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) for being featured in the QS World University 2026 Rankings, focusing on how this is great news for the Indian education sector and the nation's youth. 'The QS World University 2026 Rankings bring great news for our education sector. Our Government is committed to furthering research and innovation ecosystems for the benefit of India's youth,' said PM Modi in his post on the platform X. According to multiple media reports, the QS World University 2026 Rankings list features over 1,500 universities from more than 100 locations around the world. The list features top education institutes like Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Imperial College of London, among many others. The Ministry of Education, in a social media post on Tuesday, announced that 54 Indian institutions have been listed in the QS World University 2026 Rankings. This marks a significant increase from 11 institutions in 2024. 'From just 11 universities in 2014 to 54 in the latest rankings, this five-fold jump is a testament to the transformative educational reforms ushered by PM @narendramodi ji's govt in the last decade,' said Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in another post on X. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also cited this rise as a result of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which is changing India's educational landscape. 'Confident that with NEP's thrust on research, innovation and internationalisation, more Indian HEIs will scale global excellence in the times ahead,' said Pradhan in his post on X. The Minister also cited that this news is a matter of 'immense pride' that India is becoming the fastest-growing education system among the G20 countries. Pradhan said that India is also the fourth most represented nation on the education front after the US, the UK and China. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISc Bangalore, Delhi University, Anna University and IIT Kanpur are amongst the top Indian institutes listed in the QS World University 2026 Rankings list.
