Cairo: Cairo University achieved a notable advancement in the 2026 US News and World Report rankings, rising to 221st place globally from 248th in the 2025 edition, while maintaining its position as the top-ranked university in Egypt and the second-ranked institution in Africa.According to State Information Service Egypt, in a press statement issued on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, Cairo University President Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadek said the achievement reflects the university's successful implementation of its ambitious strategy to develop education and scientific research, enhance international competitiveness, and strengthen its standing as one of the leading academic and research institutions regionally and globally.He noted that the university's continued progress in prestigious international rankings demonstrates the success of policies adopted in recent years to support researchers, develop research infrastructure, encourage international scientific publishing, and expand cooperation with leading unive rsities and research institutions worldwide, resulting in higher-quality research output and greater global impact.Abdel Sadek added that Cairo University's objective extends beyond improving its ranking, aiming instead to build an integrated academic and research system based on innovation, knowledge production, and community service in support of Egypt's efforts to establish a knowledge-based economy and enhance its global competitiveness.He pointed out that the university has recorded steady progress over recent years, advancing from 427th globally in 2020 to 392nd in 2021, 363rd in 2022, 271st in 2024, 248th in 2025, and now 221st in the 2026 edition.For his part, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research Mahmoud El-Saeed said the ranking results reflect significant improvements in the quality of the university's scientific output, international publication rates, and research collaboration with global institutions. He affirmed that the university will continue implementing plans to promote i nnovation, interdisciplinary research, and stronger links between scientific research and societal needs and development priorities.At the subject level, Cairo University achieved outstanding results, placing among the world's top 50 disciplines in three fields. It ranked 13th globally in Pharmacology and Toxicology, 31st in Mathematics, and 47th in Polymer Science.The university also ranked among the world's top 100 disciplines in several important fields, placing 59th in Plant and Animal Science, 66th in Food Science and Technology, 70th in Public, Environmental and Occupational Health, 88th in Agricultural Sciences, and 96th in Biology and Biochemistry.Cairo University also maintained a strong presence among the world's top 200 disciplines, ranking 138th in Microbiology, 161st in Chemistry, 185th in Clinical Medicine, 189th in Water Resources Engineering, and 197th in Green and Sustainable Science and Technology.The US News and World Report ranking is considered one of the most influential global u niversity rankings, relying primarily on indicators such as research performance, global and regional academic reputation, research impact, citation rates, the share of highly cited papers, international collaboration, and publication in high-impact scientific journals.