Four Universities from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Included in the THE World University Rankings 2027

The international visibility of higher education institutions in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) continues to expand. With European University of Lefke  being included in the rankings for the first time, the number of universities from the TRNC represented in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings has increased to four.
According to the World University Rankings 2027 results announced by Times Higher Education (THE), one of the world’s leading higher education ranking organisations, on 30 September 2026, four universities from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were ranked among universities worldwide.
The 2027 edition of the THE World University Rankings provides a comprehensive global assessment covering 118 countries and regions, evaluating higher education institutions across more detailed performance bands. The THE World University Rankings assess the core activities of higher education institutions through a multidimensional framework encompassing teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
Four Universities from the TRNC Included in the World University Rankings
According to the THE 2027 results, the universities from the TRNC included in the rankings and their overall score ranges are as follows:
University THE 2027 World University Ranking Overall Score

Near East University 501–550 46.0–47.3

European University of Lefke 601–650 43.4–44.4

Cyprus International University 651–700 42.4–43.3

Eastern Mediterranean University 701–800 40.2–42.3

In the 2027 results, Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD), Final International University, and Girne American University were also included in the “Reporter” status.
TRNC Universities Represented More Broadly Compared with Previous Years

In the THE 2025 results, Near East University, Eastern Mediterranean University, and Cyprus International University were placed in the 601–800 band, while ARUCAD was listed under “Reporter” status.
In the THE 2026 results, Near East University was placed in the 401–500 band, while Eastern Mediterranean University and Cyprus International University were placed in the 601–800 band. THE subsequently reassessed the citation impact calculations concerning universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and confirmed the positions of Near East University in the 401–500 band and Eastern Mediterranean University and Cyprus International University in the 601–800 band.
One of the significant developments in the 2027 results is the first-time inclusion of the European University of Lefke in the THE World University Rankings, increasing the number of ranked universities from the TRNC from three to four.
This development is significant in terms of demonstrating that higher education institutions in the TRNC are establishing a broader presence within international data and evaluation systems.
Results Should Be Evaluated Together with Quality Indicators
The THE 2027 data demonstrate the importance of evaluating not only universities’ positions in the overall ranking but also the different dimensions that constitute their performance.
TRNC universities demonstrate notable results particularly in the areas of research quality and international outlook. According to the 2027 data, the research quality scores are 76.1 for Near East University, 80.9 for European University of Lefke, 82.8 for Cyprus International University, and 75.4 for Eastern Mediterranean University.
These indicators underline that the international standing of higher education institutions should not be assessed solely on the basis of a single ranking result, but rather in conjunction with multidimensional areas of performance, including research output, scientific activity, internationalisation, academic environment, engagement with industry, and the teaching environment.
YÖDAK considers international university rankings to be among the important external evaluation instruments for monitoring the performance of higher education institutions. However, quality in higher education cannot be measured solely by ranking results.
Sustainable success in higher education requires the integrated implementation of institutional quality assurance, academic freedom, scientific productivity, the development of research capacity, student-centred education, internationalisation, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Within this framework, YÖDAK continues its quality assurance and accreditation-focused work alongside efforts to strengthen higher education institutions’ compliance with national legislation and international quality standards, support institutional development, and enhance the international credibility of the higher education system of the TRNC.
YÖDAK Congratulates the Universities

YÖDAK congratulates Near East University, European University of Lefke, Cyprus International University, and Eastern Mediterranean University, as well as all higher education institutions that provide data to international evaluation processes and undertake efforts to enhance their global visibility, following the results of the THE World University Rankings 2027.
It is hoped that these results will contribute to the universities’ efforts in the areas of scientific output, research quality, international collaborations, academic capacity, and quality assurance, and further strengthen the international visibility of the higher education system of the TRNC.
As YÖDAK, our fundamental objective is to contribute to strengthening our higher education system beyond quantitative growth, in accordance with the principles of quality assurance, scientific excellence, international trust, transparency, and continuous development.

Higher Education Planning, Evaluation, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK)