University of Cape Town (UCT) has retained its position as Africa’s leading university, rising to joint 147th in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, up from joint 164th in the previous edition.
The 2027 rankings evaluated 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories. Institutions were assessed on teaching, research, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook. Seven of Africa’s top 10 universities are based in South Africa.
Africa’s top 10 universities in the THE World University Rankings 2027
| Rank | University | Country | Global ranking | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Cape Town | South Africa | 147th | 62.4 |
| 2 | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa | 301–325 | 53.4–54.8 |
| 3 | Stellenbosch University | South Africa | 326–350 | Not stated |
| 4 | University of Johannesburg | South Africa | 351–375 | Not stated |
| 5 | Mohammed VI Polytechnic University | Morocco | 376–400 | Not stated |
| 6 | University of Pretoria | South Africa | 451–500 | Not stated |
| 7 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa | 501–550 | Not stated |
| 8 | American University in Cairo | Egypt | 701–800 | 40.2–42.3 |
| 9 | University of the Western Cape | South Africa | 701–800 | Not stated |
| 10 | Al-Azhar University | Egypt | 801–1,000 | Not stated |
UCT achieved an overall score of 62.4 and was ranked joint 147th globally, while Wits placed between 301st and 325th. The rankings also show growing representation from sub-Saharan Africa, with 69 universities featured compared with 55 in the previous edition.
Source: YEN.com.gh
