THE Awards MENA 2023: shortlist announced

The finalists for the very first Times Higher Education Awards for the Middle East and North Africa have been revealed.

The inaugural THE Awards MENA received nearly 300 entries in total – from across 17 countries or territories – before they were whittled down to 75 finalists.

Those finalists are nominated across a total of 10 categories that span a broad range of university activities.

Institutions in the United Arab Emirates lead the way with 25 appearances on the shortlist. There is also strong representation from Egypt, Lebanon (11 apiece), Qatar (nine) and Saudi Arabia (seven).

Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer at THE, said many institutions in the region have previously been eligible to participate in the THE Awards Asia, but it had become “increasingly clear to us that this vibrant, dynamic collection of countries and territories deserved to be recognised for its own unique qualities”.

“Launching THE Awards MENA earlier this year has delivered on a grand scale, with hundreds of institutions submitting a wide range of brilliant, inspirational entries across the 10 categories,” Mr Baty said.

“And I’m delighted to see that those institutions come in all shapes and sizes. These awards are inclusive by design, and we understand that groundbreaking work can be found not just in large, world-renowned universities but also in those that are smaller or more specialist in their focus.

“Simply because impact might be on a smaller scale, that does not mean that the ideas themselves are not big and cannot be successfully rolled out by others, much more widely.”

The winners will be announced at the THE MENA Universities Summit, which is being held in Abu Dhabi, from 13-15 November 2023.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com

THE Awards MENA 2023: the shortlist

International Strategy of the Year

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Jordan)
• Alamein International University (Egypt)
• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia)
• Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
• University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates)

Leadership and Management Team of the Year

• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Saudi Arabia)
• Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
• National University of Science and Technology, Oman (Oman)
• Qatar University (Qatar)
• University of Tunis El Manar (Tunisia)
• Zewail City of Science and Technology (Egypt)

Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership

• American University in Cairo (Egypt)
• Amity University Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• University of Balamand (Lebanon)
• The British University in Egypt (Egypt)
• University of Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
• Middlesex University Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA) (Egypt)

Outstanding Contribution to Regional Development

• Al-Ahliyya Amman University (Jordan)
• University of Balamand (Lebanon)
• The British University in Egypt (Egypt)
• New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
• October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA) (Egypt)
• Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie (State of Palestine)
• Saudi Electronic University (Saudi Arabia)
• Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences (Morocco)

Outstanding Support for Students

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• Al-Balqa Applied University (Jordan)
• American University of Beirut (Lebanon)
• Amity University Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• University of Birjand (Iran )
• Gulf Medical University (United Arab Emirates)
• King Faisal University (Saudi Arabia)
• New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• American University in Cairo (Egypt)
• The British University in Egypt (Egypt)
• Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar)
• Middlesex University Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
• Qatar University (Qatar)
• Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI), Qatar University (Qatar)

Research Project of the Year: STEM

• University of Balamand (Lebanon)
• Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
• Middlesex University Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
• Nile University (Egypt)
• Qatar University (Qatar)
• University of Sharjah, in collaboration with University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (United Arab Emirates)
• United Arab Emirates University (United Arab Emirates)

Student Recruitment Campaign of the Year

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• AlMaarefa University (Saudi Arabia)
• American University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates)
• Egyptian E-Learning University (Egypt)
• The Hashemite University (Jordan)
• King Faisal University (Saudi Arabia)
• Qatar University (Qatar)

Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• Al Akhawayn University (Morocco)
• American University in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar)
• Lebanese American University – Addressing knowledge gaps (Lebanon)
• Lebanese American University – Revamping the core curriculum (Lebanon)
• Prince Sultan University (PSU) (Saudi Arabia)
• Qatar University (Qatar)

Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year

• Abu Dhabi University (United Arab Emirates)
• Arabian Gulf University (Bahrain)
• The British University in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• Gulf Medical University (United Arab Emirates)
• Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
• Modern University for Business and Science (Lebanon)
• New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)
• Qatar University (Qatar)

Learn more about this year’s finalists