Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) has been recognised for its academic excellence in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2016-2017.

It is the first time a university from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has been ranked on the prestigious list, which includes globally renowned institutions such California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Princeton University.

THE World University Rankings lists a total of 980 leading universities from 79 different countries. The University of Oxford came top in this year’s rankings, which are based on teaching quality, international outlook, research, citations and industry outcome.

EMU is among those universities ranked in the 601-800 band. While it officially falls under Turkey, the THE entry states it is a “public university in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”

Formed in 1979, EMU is the TRNC’s oldest university and currently the second largest. It was launched as an institute of technology, but broadened its academic programmes. Today, it has just under 100 undergraduate and 80 postgraduate programmes, taught in both English and Turkish. BA degrees in English include those in engineering, IT, game design, medicine, pharmacy, tourism, business, economics, banking, public relations, architecture, film studies, political science, molecular biology and genetics, and psychological counselling.

THE notes that EMU is “one of the few South Eastern Mediterranean to be awarded an Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology. It is a member of the International Association of Universities, the European University Association, the Community of Mediterranean Universities and the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World.”

Two universities from South Cyprus are also in the THE World Rankings: the University of Cyprus (351-400) and Cyprus University of Technology. 17 institutions are listed from Turkey, with Koç University the highest placed, listed in the 251-300 band.