The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has retained ninth position in South Africa, according to the latest Center for World University Rankings issued this week.
The rankings were released on 15 May 2023 by the centre, which provides services – including policy advice – to governments and universities around the globe to improve “educational and research outcomes”.
UWC is the only Historically Disadvantaged University (HDI) to make the list.
The top 12 universities in the county are:
1. University of Cape Town
2. University of the Witwatersrand
3. Stellenbosch University
4. University of KwaZulu-Natal
5. University of Pretoria
6. University of Johannesburg
7. North-West University
8. University of the Free State
9. University of the Western Cape
10. Rhodes University
11. University of South Africa
12. Nelson Mandela University
A total of 20 531 institutions from around the world are ranked, with the top performing universities making the Global 2 000 list. UWC was placed at 1188 – slightly down from last year’s world ranking of 1186. Despite this, the University has held its research rank steady from 1133 to 1134.
The centre, based in the United Arab Emirates, published its first ranking in 2012. It assesses the quality of education, employability, quality of faculty and research.
UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tyrone Pretorius says he is proud of the achievement.
“We are not obsessed with rankings and scoring but it does give an indication and an acknowledgement of the fine work produced by the University – and more significantly, the people who work here,” says Prof Pretorius.
“At the University of the Western Cape we take our role in society – both in a local and global context – of producing quality higher education, graduate employability and research that matters very seriously. I want to thank all at UWC for this accolade.”
