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U.S. News Releases 2015 Best Arab Region Universities Rankings

By WTOP Staff

Universities in the Arab region are undergoing a period of rapid transition, with more than a decade of expansion in enrollment, including more female students. Since 2002, the number of institutions in the region has more than doubled, according to a report by the Brookings Institution, a U.S.-based public policy think tank.

Still, with no standardized educational data available, students and parents have had few ways of comparing top universities — at least until now.

After creating a directory of the 800-plus universities in the region last year, U.S. News has now launched its inaugural Best Arab Region Universities rankings, the most in-depth rankings of their kind. The 2015 rankings include the top Arab region universities overall, based on their academic research performance, as well as separate rankings in 16 subject areas, including computer science, engineering and medicine.

[Read answers to frequently asked questions about the Arab region rankings.]

The overall Best Arab Region Universities rankings feature 91 schools from 16 countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Saudi Arabian universities claimed the top three spots in the overall rankings. King Saud University, founded in 1957 in the capital of Riyadh, took the No.1 spot. King Abdulaziz University, based in Jeddah and the largest university in the country, landed in second place, while King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, located in Thuwal and one of the newest schools in the region, earned third place.

Saudi Arabia has about 1 million students enrolled in its universities and colleges, up from 7,000 in 1970, according to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington. Of those, more than half are female.

Egypt’s Cairo University, located in Giza, placed No. 4 overall. Lebanon’s American University of Beirut, a school based on the American liberal arts model, ranked No. 5.

Egypt was the top-performing country in the overall rankings, with 21 schools featured. About 23 percent of the schools in the rankings were located in the northeast African country, where a European-style education system was introduced by Ottoman rulers in the early 1800s.

Algeria and Saudi Arabia tied for second place, with 13 schools each. Together, Egypt, Algeria and Saudi Arabia accounted for about 52 percent of the ranked schools.

[See how higher education is evolving in the Arab region.]

Beyond the overall rankings of the top 91 institutions, the Best Arab Region Universities subject rankings allow students to compare leading schools in 16 key academic areas. These rankings, which focus on institutions’ academic research performance in those specific subjects, are not evaluations of academic majors, departments or specific schools at universities, such as medical schools.

Saudi Arabia had the highest-ranked university in all but one subject — social sciences. In that discipline, which includes law, education and political science, Lebanon’s American University of Beirut took first place.

Three universities were ranked in all 16 subjects: Egypt’s Cairo University and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University and King Saud University. Egypt’s Ain Shams University and Tunisia’s Université de Sfax ranked in 15 of the subjects.

The Best Arab Region Universities rankings — which are based on bibliometric data and research metrics provided by Scopus, part of the Elsevier Research Intelligence portfolio — are independent of the recently released U.S. News Best Global Universities rankings of the top research universities worldwide. The Arab region rankings are aimed directly at prospective students, parents, policymakers and employers in the region, to allow them to accurately compare institutions.

With that in mind, U.S. News focused specifically on institutions’ academic research output and performance, using factors such as the number of published papers and citations, and not on their separate undergraduate or graduate programs.

[Learn how the Best Arab Region Universities rankings were calculated.]

Branch campuses in the Arab region that are operated by a parent university in another country were not considered for the overall or subject rankings. For example, schools such as New York University Abu Dhabi and Carnegie Mellon University Qatar weren’t included, since they are operated by universities in the U.S. However, U.S. News has published a list of more than 50 of these branch campuses as a resource for students.

Universities that did well in the inaugural rankings may find their positions shifting in the future. This year’s rankings of the Best Arab Region Universities is the first in a series of rankings meant to make information about the region’s institutions more transparent and accessible. Moving forward, U.S. News plans to include other ranking factors, including reputation surveys of Arab region academics and employers, as well as school-reported data.

See the complete rankings of the Best Arab Region Universities.

More from U.S. News

E-Learning Engages Women at Saudi University

U.S. News Releases Inaugural Best Global Universities Rankings

U.S. Sees Record Number of International College Students

U.S. News Releases 2015 Best Arab Region Universities Rankings originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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