King Khalid University achieved a new milestone, ranking fifth among 373 Arab universities from 16 countries and second among Saudi universities, according to the 2024 Arab University Rankings (ARU). This achievement reflects the university's ongoing efforts to advance education, scientific research, and community service aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030 and the strategic goals of the "Qimam and Shem" initiative, which aims to evolves Aseer region into a distinguished global destination combining sustainable development with comprehensive quality.

On this occasion, the Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Prof. Hamid bin Majdoua Al-Qarni, stated that the Arab University Rankings were based on qualitative criteria reflecting the overall performance of educational institutions. These criteria included education and learning, scientific research, creativity and innovation, international and national collaborations, and community service. He emphasized that the university is relentlessly working to improve its performance across all these indicators through pioneering initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of higher education and reinforcing the university's role as a cornerstone of sustainable development nationally. This includes fostering development targets in the Asir region, as outlined in its "Qimam and Shem" strategy, by strengthening the integration between higher education and societal needs.

Dr. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Qahtani, Director of the International Rankings Unit, highlighted that this accomplishment reaffirms King Khalid University's position as one of the leading universities nationally and regionally. He noted that the unit diligently implements well-structured strategies to showcase the university's strengths and areas of excellence, with a focus on enhancing international and local cooperation in research and innovation. These efforts contribute to securing advanced positions in global rankings. Dr. Al-Qahtani further affirmed that the university supports the "Qimam and Shem" strategy by adopting academic and research projects that enhance the region's competitiveness and lay the foundations for sustainable development.