Thirteen universities from South Africa feature in the 2019-2020 list of the top 2000 universities compiled by the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR).<\/p>\n
They are led by the University of Cape Town, ranked 252nd globally, and followed by the University of the Witwatersrand, which lost its top spot in SA to UCT in 2018.<\/p>\n
Stellenbosch University, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and University of Pretoria round up the top five universities in South Africa, with the University of Johannesburg ranked sixth.<\/p>\n
Stellenbosch climbed from 5th in 2018 to third in 2019, pushing UKZN to fourth and University of Pretoria to fifth.<\/p>\n
According to the CWUR, results have been mixed for local universities in 2019 with four of the top seven institutions, including the\u00a0 top two, losing ground.<\/p>\n
Dr. Nadim Mahassen, president of the\u00a0 Center for World University Rankings, said: \u201cIt is a worrying time for\u00a0 South African universities amid stiff global competition from well-funded universities.<\/p>\n
“Funding for higher education is crucial if the government aspires its universities to compete on the global stage. Without sustained strong investment, South African universities face the possibility of declining in the future.”<\/p>\n
| 2019 Rank<\/th>\n | 2018 Rank<\/th>\n | University<\/th>\n | Score<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 252<\/span><\/td>\n | 223<\/td>\n | University of Cape Town<\/td>\n | 77.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 254<\/span><\/td>\n | 230<\/td>\n | University of Witwatersrand<\/td>\n | 77.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 381<\/span><\/td>\n | 448<\/td>\n | Stellenbosch University<\/td>\n | 75.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 424<\/span><\/td>\n | 402<\/td>\n | University of KwaZulu-Natal<\/td>\n | 75.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 556<\/span><\/td>\n | 438<\/td>\n | University of Pretoria<\/td>\n | 73.6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 761<\/span><\/td>\n | 790<\/td>\n | University of Johannesburg<\/td>\n | 71.9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 869<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | North-West University<\/td>\n | 71.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1034<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | University of the Western Cape<\/td>\n | 70.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1183<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | University of the Free State<\/td>\n | 69.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1224<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | Rhodes University<\/td>\n | 69.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1417<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | Unisa<\/td>\n | 68.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1620<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | Nelson Mandela University<\/td>\n | 67.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1926<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | Tshwane University of Technology<\/td>\n | 66.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n Global rankings<\/strong><\/p>\n For the eighth year, Harvard ranks as the top global\u00a0 university. MIT follows, achieving its highest position since 2012 by overtaking Stanford. Cambridge, the top public university in the world, ranks fourth followed by the University of Oxford.<\/p>\n But the US, despite claiming eight of the top 10 places globally and\u00a0 slightly improving overall relative to last year, sees the number of its\u00a0 representatives in the worldwide top 1000 drop by 5% compared to five\u00a0 years ago, down to 218 institutions.<\/p>\n The UK, while claiming the top four places in Europe and 63 places in the global top 1000, is also down in terms of the total number of its representatives in the top 1000 by 3% during the same time frame.<\/p>\n With increased governmental funding, China sees an increase of 37% in\u00a0 the number of its institutions among the world\u2019s top 1000 in the last five years, up from 83 to 114. Japan\u2019s University of Tokyo remains Asia\u2019s top institution for the eighth year in a row.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, the University of Melbourne ranks first in Oceania, the University of S\u00e3o Paulo tops Latin America and the Caribbean, and the University of Cape Town ranks highest in Africa.<\/p>\n Methodology<\/strong><\/p>\n CWUR\u2019s rankings grade universities on seven factors:<\/p>\n The rankings are unique in that they measure the teaching and training of students as well as faculty prestige and research performance without relying on surveys and university data\u00a0 submissions.<\/p>\n According to the CWUR, the methodology for 2019\/20 has been slightly enhanced to give equal emphasis to the learning environment and research.<\/p>\n Twenty thousand universities worldwide have been analysed, and the annual ranking – now\u00a0 in its eighth year – has been expanded to list the top 2000\u00a0 institutions, up from 1000.<\/p>\n It now features 99 countries and\u00a0 territories, up from 61, making it the largest academic ranking of\u00a0 global universities.<\/p>\n |