APU strengthens its global presence at QS Africa Forum 2026 in Ethiopia, receiving international recognition for achieving its highest-ever QS World University Rankings 2027 position of #528 while exploring new opportunities for global partnerships and collaboration.

Image

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) continues to expand its global footprint by participating in the QS Africa Forum 2026, hosted by United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in Sheraton Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

The 5th edition of the forum took place from 9 to 10 July 2026, centered around the theme ‘Skills, Systems, and Sustainable Futures’, brought together over 20 countries’ higher education leaders, policymakers, and university presidents to discuss Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, employability, and sustainable talent development. 

The international gathering provides a valuable platform for the University to forge new partnerships, exchange ideas, and reinforce its commitment to global academic excellence. 

Representing APU are Chief Innovation, Enterprise & Sustainability Officer, Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, and Director of Quality Management, Ts Nur Zahdi Mohd. Nor Aldin. 

The annual forum brings together higher education leaders, policymakers, researchers, and international organisations from across Africa and beyond to explore the future of higher education. 

Discussions focus on internationalisation, research collaboration, graduate employability, institutional excellence, and the evolving role of universities in addressing global challenges. 

Although this year’s forum is more focused in scale than the previous edition held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, it offers high-quality opportunities for meaningful dialogue, strategic networking, and long-term collaboration. 

One of the event’s defining moments is APU’s recognition on stage for its outstanding achievement in the QS World University Rankings 2027. 

The University achieves its highest-ever global position at #528, placing it among the Top 2% of universities worldwide. 

This milestone marks APU’s biggest leap in the rankings to date, improving from the #597 tier in previous years and reflecting its continued commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and global impact. 

The recognition reflects APU’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and creating meaningful global impact.

Reflecting on the significance of the forum, Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh highlighted, the QS Africa Forum 2026 provides an excellent platform for APU to strengthen strategic partnerships and engage with institutions that share our vision for innovation, sustainability, and academic excellence. 

“Receiving international recognition for APU’s highest-ever QS World University Ranking marks a significant milestone, reflecting the unwavering dedication of our academic community and reaffirming our commitment to delivering world-class education with a lasting global impact.” 

“We look forward to translating the connections established during the forum into meaningful collaborations that benefit our students, researchers, industry partners, and society.” 

Throughout the forum, the APU delegation engages with representatives from leading universities, government agencies, and international organisations to explore collaborative opportunities in research, academic partnerships, student and staff mobility, institutional development, and internationalisation. 

Among the institutions and organisations engaged are Florida International University (United States), Institute of International Education (IIE) (United States), University of Ilorin (Nigeria), King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) (Saudi Arabia), Universitas Sumatera Utara (Indonesia), the Ministry of Education of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), Amravati Management Association (India), Galgotias University (India), Al-Quds University (Palestine), New Generation University College (Ethiopia), Baku State University (Azerbaijan), Azerbaijan Technical University (Azerbaijan), Azerbaijan State University of Architecture and Construction (Azerbaijan), Baku State University (Azerbaijan), Temple University Rome Campus (Italy), Modern College of Business and Science (Oman) and the University of Mauritius (Mauritius). 

These engagements create valuable opportunities to establish new professional networks while exploring collaborations in joint academic programmes, research partnerships, sustainability initiatives, student and staff exchanges, and capacity-building efforts. 

Ts Nur Zahdi added that participation in international forums such as QS Africa Forum enables APU to continuously benchmark itself against global best practices while strengthening its international partnerships. 

“These engagements not only strengthen APU’s international network but also support our continuous pursuit of quality, academic excellence, and global relevance.

“By exchanging ideas and experiences with higher education leaders from around the world, we are able to identify new opportunities for collaboration that will create lasting value for our students, academics, researchers, and institutional partners,” he said.

The University’s recognition during the forum further reinforces APU’s growing international reputation and strategic vision of becoming a globally recognised university. 

At the same time, the connections forged throughout the event open new avenues for collaboration across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America. 

As APU continues to advance its global engagement strategy, the relationships established at QS Africa Forum 2026 are expected to pave the way for impactful collaborations that benefit students, academics, researchers, alumni, industry partners, and the wider global community. 

Building on its highest-ever QS World University Ranking of #528, which placed APU among the top 2% of universities worldwide, the University also achieved global recognition by ranking 16th for International Students, 10th for International Student Diversity, and among the top 170 for International Faculty. 

APU further recorded its strongest-ever performance in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, with three subjects ranked among the world’s top 150, while retaining its distinction as the first Malaysian university to receive the prestigious QS 5 Stars Plus (5★+) rating.