Connecting education to the labour market

The University works to align its programmes with labour-market needs and academic quality standards. The proportion of accredited academic programmes reached 91%, and eight eligible programmes obtained international ABET accreditation. The University also developed six programmes in mining and related fields, and worked to introduce programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, computing disciplines and e-commerce, alongside the development of a range of health programmes.

Postgraduate opportunities have also expanded. The University opened admission to 40 academic and professional programmes for the 1448 AH academic year, including doctoral, master's and higher diploma programmes, and introduced an integrated PhD track in Computer Science. In building its academic workforce, 80% of sponsored scholars were admitted to universities ranked among the world's top 200.

The University seeks to enhance graduate readiness through digital and professional skills, interdisciplinary and short learning pathways, professional certifications and effective field training. The skills record helps document students' experiences alongside their academic qualifications, while feedback from employers and graduates contributes to developing these experiences and measuring their impact.

Turning regional strengths into research

The University's scientific output has expanded in recent years. According to University data, 3,134 non-duplicate publications carrying a Northern Border University affiliation were published in 2025. Research activity is supported by 13 research and innovation programmes, four research centres, and four research chairs. In 2026, the University launched a business incubator and accelerator for start-ups; its first cohort attracted 24 entrepreneurial ideas and incubated 10 start-up companies.

The number of publications indexed in Web of Science reached 2,592 in 2025, compared with 561 in 2021, representing growth of 362%. The cumulative number of scientific papers indexed in Web of Science exceeded 9,000, with more than 80,000 citations. The University also has 13 support programmes, four research centres, and four research chairs supporting its research and innovation ecosystem. The University also won three awards at ITEX and two gold medals at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions. Additionally, the University launched a business incubator and accelerator for start-ups, and its first cohort in 2026 attracted 24 entrepreneurial ideas and incubated 10 start-ups.

From community engagement to global partnerships

In 2025, the University implemented 1,621 community-service programmes and activities that benefited 168,704 people. It also provided more than 2,300 volunteering opportunities, with total volunteer hours exceeding 184,000. These activities allow students to apply their knowledge and help the University direct its services according to community needs.

The University’s cumulative portfolio includes more than 40 active local agreements. During 2025 and the first half of 2026, it concluded 21 local agreements and memoranda of cooperation covering education, research, health, training, employment, and the environment. Its international partnerships include cooperation with universities in the United States, France, Türkiye and Japan, including Findlay, Rouen, Istanbul and Kanazawa. These relationships create opportunities for researchers and students to exchange knowledge and work together on shared topics.

Building a more digital and sustainable university

The University's Digital Transformation Measurement score reached 80.3% in 2025, compared with 48% in 2021. The University ranked tenth in the Digital Transformation Measurement Index among government entities in the education and training sector, after ranking twelfth in 2024. It continues to develop its digital services and data governance to improve beneficiary experience and operational efficiency.

In sustainability, the University ranked 555th globally and fifth locally in the UI GreenMetric ranking and was placed in the 801–1000 global band in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for 2026.

A university on the rise and the road to 2030

The University received full institutional accreditation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission. In global rankings, the University appeared in the 901–1000 band of the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). Its position in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings improved to the 301–350 band in 2026, compared with 401–500 in the previous year. By subject, Biomedical Engineering was placed in the 201–300 band, while Mathematics and Energy Science & Engineering were placed in the 301–400 band in the 2026 Shanghai Ranking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

The next phase is built around four interconnected directions: teaching and learning, research and innovation, community partnership and institutional enablers. The University is focusing on improving students' readiness for the labour market and deepening applied research in mining and related fields, artificial intelligence, data science and smart technologies, sustainability and renewable energy, health and quality of life. It will also continue to develop infrastructure and digital transformation, strengthen human resources and capabilities, and grow self-generated revenues.