Qatar Ranks 48th in Global Innovation Index 2025

Qatar has been ranked 48th in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII), published by WIPO – reflecting the country’s continued commitment to nurturing innovation, research, and development as key pillars of its transformation into a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy.

Over the past six years, Qatar has risen from 70th to 48th in the GII index, securing its position among the top global risers (22 spots) and showcasing the nation’s strong commitment to fostering innovation.

“This result in the Global Innovation Index is a testament to the progress Qatar has made and a signal of the country’s readiness to lead in a rapidly transforming global economy,” said Omar al-Ansari, Secretary General of the QRDI Council.

“It reinforces that our national innovation efforts are on the right path, and that through the implementation of the Third National Development Strategy, we are building the capabilities, frameworks, and partnerships necessary to achieve our long-term vision. 

We extend our sincere appreciation to all partners and contributors across sectors for their support in achieving this collective progress and for their ongoing commitment to advancing Qatar’s global innovation standing."

Nejoud al-Jehani, Executive Director of Strategy & Programmes at the QRDI Council, added: “The full implementation of the innovation programs and policy levers set out in the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) will not only sustain but strengthen Qatar’s innovation standing and global ranking. By embedding innovation, research, and talent at the heart of our national agenda, we are not only advancing Qatar’s competitiveness today but also cementing its leadership in shaping the knowledge economies of the future.”

Ahmed Khalid al-Sumaiti, Director, International Indicators and International Cooperation Department at the National Planning Council: "The State of Qatar has recorded progress in the Global Innovation Index, supported by a notable improvement in several sub-indicators, including Institutions, Human Capital and Research, Infrastructure, Market Development, and Creative Outputs.

“The National Planning Council reaffirms its commitment to strengthening Qatar’s position in this field through its active partnerships with various national entities, and by working to integrate innovation initiatives into the national strategic plans and sector-specific executive plans. These efforts contribute to advancing the country’s economic and technological development, as well as enhancing its competitiveness and leadership in the field of innovation."

The Global Innovation Index evaluates economies across seven pillars: Institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.

Each pillar is further broken down into sub-pillars. Together, these categories provide a comprehensive picture of the conditions, investments, and outputs that shape a nation’s capacity for innovation.

In addition to being among the top global risers, Qatar ranks within the global top 20 across 13 individual indicators, further highlighting the strength of its innovation ecosystem.

In the Infrastructure pillar overall, Qatar recorded its most significant improvement, climbing 25 places. Within this pillar, the General Infrastructure sub-pillar stands out, where Qatar ranks 1st worldwide, underscoring the unmatched strength of the nation’s developmental and logistical foundations, alongside its broader digital and ecological advancements.

Within the ICT sub-pillar of Infrastructure, Qatar demonstrates strong performance, ranking 7th globally in ICT Access, up five places from last year.

ICT Use also remains high, placing Qatar 6th worldwide, highlighting the country’s strong digital connectivity and widespread adoption of information and communication technologies.

In the Institutions Pillar, Qatar moved up three places to 17th globally. This was supported by stronger policy stability, now ranked 8th globally, alongside improvements across most other institutional indicators.

In the Business Environment sub-pillar, Qatar maintains a strong position, ranking 13th globally. Policy Stability for Doing Business stands out, where Qatar improved three places to 8th worldwide, reflecting a secure and predictable environment for enterprise. Entrepreneurship Policies and Culture ranked 15th globally, further highlighting Qatar’s supportive framework for innovation-driven entrepreneurship and business growth.

In Human Capital & Research, Qatar advanced 4 places, with tertiary education now positioned among the global top 10. The country also demonstrated progress in science and technology talent, as the number of STEM graduates rose 14 places.

Qatar University climbed 51 places in the QS University Rankings sub-pillar, under the Human Capital and Research pillar, while Hamad Bin Khalifa University made a notable leap of 127 places, highlighting the growing international standing of Qatar’s higher education institutions.

In the Market Sophistication pillar, Qatar advanced 11 places, driven by improvements in investment, which rose eight places, and domestic credit for the private sector, which has risen five ranks up.

Qatar’s position in the GII comes amid growing regional and global competition and underscores the country's ability to create a resilient innovation ecosystem that enables science, technology, and entrepreneurship to thrive.

QRDI Council, in collaboration with government stakeholders, research institutions, private sector actors, and international partners, continues to strengthen the innovation ecosystem by enabling high-impact research, nurturing talent, and accelerating the translation of ideas into real-world solutions.

This outcome reflects the nation’s strategic investment in research, development, and innovation (RDI), as outlined in the NDS3, the final phase of the Qatar National Vision 2030.