‘Khalifa University’ records significant increase in global research publications

ABU DHABI, 16th February, 2026 (WAM) — Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced 86 percent of its research publications in 2025 were published in top-quartile (Q1) journals, with a three-fold rise in scientific publications in the world’s most influential journals, including the top 1 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent by CiteScore, a widely used global journal impact indicator, underscoring a strong institutional focus on quality-driven research.

Between 2021 and 2025, the share of total publications appearing in top 1 percent journals rose from 4.3 percent to 8 percent, signaling a structural shift toward higher-impact research.

This trajectory accelerated between 2023 and 2025, when publications in top 1 percent journals grew by 156 percent, indicating sustained momentum in high-quality research output rather than a one-time increase.

Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri said, “The consistent rise in high-impact publications shows our work is not only increasing in volume but also in depth, relevance, and global engagement. This is research designed to strengthen national capability, generate knowledge that drives global impact, foster technological advancement and contribute to economic and societal contexts.

More researchers around the world are building on Khalifa University’s work each year, reflecting our growing research influence. Shaped by 14 specialised research centers and five research institutions that focus on areas critical to the UAE and the region, we aim to continue bringing together faculty, students, industry, and international partners around long-term research agendas that respond to national priorities,” he added.

Across broader journal tiers, publications in the top 5 percent of journals increased 2.5 times between 2021 and 2025, with their share of total output rising from 21.1 percent to 32 percent. By 2025, more than half (57.5 percent) of Khalifa University’s research outputs were published in the top 10 percent journals ranked by CiteScore, reflecting consistent progress toward higher-impact publishing across disciplines.

Khalifa University’s expanding global research influence is also reflected in citation performance. Citations per faculty increased at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 17 percent over the past five years, with over 25 percent rise between the 2025 and 2026 QS ranking cycles, indicating growing international uptake of research originating in the UAE.