{"id":639847,"date":"2022-11-02T16:51:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T14:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=639847"},"modified":"2022-11-02T16:51:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T14:51:29","slug":"south-africas-universities-rank-among-the-top-100-in-the-world-for-these-subjects-including-space-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/639847\/south-africas-universities-rank-among-the-top-100-in-the-world-for-these-subjects-including-space-science\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa’s universities rank among the top 100 in the world for these subjects – including space science"},"content":{"rendered":"

US News has published its latest\u00a0Best Global University Ranking<\/a> for 2022\/23, listing 13 South African universities among the best in the world – four of which have ranked among the top 100 schools in nine subjects.<\/p>\n

The rankings looked at the top 2,000 tertiary institutions globally, ranking them with a specific focus on schools\u2019 academic research and reputation overall – not on their separate undergraduate or graduate programs.<\/p>\n

On top of the global ranking, US News looked at where universities ranked in 47 subject fields. The 13 South African institutions that made the 2022\/23 list also found their way onto rankings across many of these fields, ranking within the top 100 in nine of them.<\/p>\n

The University of Cape Town was the most highly-ranked local university, appearing in the top 100 five times. This is followed by the University of the Witwatersrand, UKZN and the University of Pretoria with two top-100 rankings, as well as the Tshwane University of Technology featuring once.<\/p>\n

Overall, South Africa’s universities are most represented in the fields of infectious diseases, immunology, public health and ecology. However, a few schools stand out uniquely in other fields.<\/p>\n

For instance, the Tshwane University of Technology ranks 36th in the world in the field of optics – while the University of Pretoria ranks 85th overall for business and economics. The University of KwaZulu Natal, meanwhile, ranks within the top 100 for space science.<\/p>\n

The tables below outline the top subjects at all 13 South African universities ranked – with top-100 subjects highlighted in green<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\n

University of Cape Town<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Infectious Diseases<\/span><\/td>\n24<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Immunology<\/span><\/td>\n51<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health<\/span><\/td>\n51<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/span><\/td>\n66<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Psychiatry \/ Psychology<\/span><\/td>\n90<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n110<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n110<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Microbiology<\/td>\n143<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems<\/td>\n145<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n150<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Neuroscience and Behaviour<\/td>\n166<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geosciences<\/td>\n175<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arts and Humanities<\/td>\n180<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Space Science<\/td>\n186<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Surgery<\/td>\n191<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n209<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Molecular Biology and Genetics<\/td>\n214<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Biology and Biochemistry<\/td>\n273<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pharmacology and Toxicology<\/td>\n297<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n655<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n798<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of KwaZulu Natal<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Infectious Diseases<\/span><\/td>\n73<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Space Science<\/span><\/td>\n93<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Immunology<\/td>\n121<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health<\/td>\n125<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pharmacology and Toxicology<\/td>\n222<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Agricultural Science<\/td>\n235<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n267<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n283<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n303<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment\/Ecology<\/td>\n330<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geosciences<\/td>\n362<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n438<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Biology and Biochemistry<\/td>\n490<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physical Chemistry<\/td>\n500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n597<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n636<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Computer Science<\/td>\n685<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Stellenbosch University<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Infectious Diseases<\/td>\n105<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n110<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health<\/td>\n123<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Agricultural Science<\/td>\n124<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Food Science and Technology<\/td>\n127<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n147<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Immunology<\/td>\n160<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arts and Humanities<\/td>\n199<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n212<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Psychiatry \/ Psychology<\/td>\n214<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n214<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Microbiology<\/td>\n240<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Biotechnology<\/td>\n249<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Biology and Biochemistry<\/td>\n266<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geosciences<\/td>\n369<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n643<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n755<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of Pretoria<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/span><\/td>\n58<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Economics and Business<\/span><\/td>\n85<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Infectious Diseases<\/td>\n156<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Microbiology<\/td>\n170<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arts and Humanities<\/td>\n188<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n214<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n353<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mathematics<\/td>\n365<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Biology and Biochemistry<\/td>\n417<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Electrical and Electronic Engineering<\/td>\n434<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n451<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Computer Science<\/td>\n508<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n510<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n673<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of the Witwatersrand<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Infectious Diseases<\/span><\/td>\n40<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health<\/span><\/td>\n45<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Immunology<\/td>\n107<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n126<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arts and Humanities<\/td>\n166<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n182<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n206<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geosciences<\/td>\n222<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n365<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mathematics<\/td>\n374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n526<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n763<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of Johannesburg<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n168<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physical Chemistry<\/td>\n231<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geosciences<\/td>\n246<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n277<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n292<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n407<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n415<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment\/Ecology<\/td>\n467<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Computer Science<\/td>\n566<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Materials Science<\/td>\n579<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

North-West University<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Space Science<\/td>\n241<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n300<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Psychiatry \/ Psychology<\/td>\n333<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n376<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n376<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n429<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n561<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n652<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Materials Science<\/td>\n511<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chemistry<\/td>\n561<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n628<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n837<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of the Western Cape<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Space Science<\/td>\n113<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Sciences and Public Health<\/td>\n376<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clinical Medicine<\/td>\n533<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Tshwane University of Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Optics<\/span><\/td>\n36<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Engineering<\/td>\n593<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n627<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Nelson Mandela University<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment \/ Ecology<\/td>\n337<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n441<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

University of the Free State<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n444<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Physics<\/td>\n597<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Rhodes University<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/th>\nRank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Space Science<\/td>\n172<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plant and Animal Science<\/td>\n430<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Methodology<\/strong><\/p>\n

In assessing the subjects for the ranking, the data and metrics used in the ranking were provided by Clarivate. The bibliometric data was based on the Web of Science.<\/p>\n

Papers are limited to those published between 2016 and 2020. However, the citations to those papers come from all publications up to the most recent data available. For the 2022-2023 edition, this cutoff was May 29, 2022, with an InCites publication of June 28, 2022.<\/p>\n

It is necessary to use a slightly older window of publication to allow citations to accumulate and provide statistically relevant results, US News said.<\/p>\n

The use of survey data and published information is used with a host of other data points using the following indicators and weighting:<\/p>\n