Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has taken a significant leap on the global academic stage. In the newly released 2026 edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, the university—headquartered in Benguerir—has earned a spot in the Top 400 worldwide for the first time. This milestone reinforces UM6P’s position as a driving force in higher education and research, not only in Morocco but across North Africa.
Ranked between 351st and 400th out of 2,191 institutions evaluated across 115 countries, UM6P is now the highest-ranked university in Morocco and the North African region. It also ranks fourth on the African continent. This recognition comes just a year after the university broke into the Top 500, signaling a rapid and well-structured rise in global standing.
The Times Higher Education ranking is based on 18 performance indicators grouped into five key pillars: teaching quality, research output, research environment, international outlook, and industry collaboration. Across all these categories, UM6P has recorded clear and measurable progress.
Between 2020 and 2025, the university produced over 6,600 indexed scientific publications, with an impressive 85% appearing in top-tier (Q1) journals. These works have garnered nearly 84,000 citations, a strong indicator of the university’s growing footprint in global research networks. Today, UM6P employs 379 full-time faculty researchers and hosts a community of 1,300 PhD students.
Its push for internationalization is equally striking. The university currently welcomes 8,756 students from 40 different countries, with women making up 55% of the student body. UM6P offers 45 academic programs across a broad range of disciplines, blending cutting-edge research, innovation, and entrepreneurship into a modern and ambitious academic model.
Beyond academics, UM6P has emerged as a hub for entrepreneurship across Africa. Its network of incubators and accelerators has supported more than 1,600 entrepreneurial projects on the continent, while over 5,500 young people have been trained in innovation and startup development. This ecosystem reflects the university’s broader mission: to generate African-driven solutions to African challenges—through science, technology, and the continent’s own talent.
