The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced Tuesday that two Iraqi universities have been included in the 2026 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS), reflecting the growing academic and research presence of Iraqi universities internationally.

Haider Abd Dhahad, the Ministry’s Undersecretary for Scientific Research Affairs, said the inclusion of the two universities in the global ranking represents “a significant academic milestone” and reflects ongoing efforts to raise academic standards and strengthen the international standing of Iraqi universities.

He added that the achievement reflects the universities’ focus on “quality, excellence, and global competitiveness,” as well as the efforts of university administrators, faculty members, and researchers to develop institutions capable of competing internationally.

According to the Ministry, Al-Ain University (Iraq) was included in the Engineering/Water Resources category, while Warith Al-Anbiya University entered the Energy Science & Engineering category.

The GRAS ranking evaluates academic subjects using nine scientific and academic indicators, with data drawn from Clarivate’s Web of Science, a major source of bibliographic and research data.

Abd Dhahad emphasized the importance of sustaining research and academic efforts and improving the quality of scientific output, saying these efforts would help advance Iraqi universities and expand their presence in international academic rankings.