University of Cape Town Returns to Elite Tier
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has climbed back into the global top 150, claiming a joint 147th spot in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027. This marks the institution's first return to that tier since the 2020 edition and represents its best position in seven years.
UCT rose from a joint 164th place last year to its current standing. The rankings were released on Wednesday during the World Academic Summit, which is being held in Cape Town through Thursday. The event is jointly hosted by UCT and Britain's University of Bristol.
Sub-Saharan Africa Expands Global Presence
The 2027 rankings highlight a significant expansion of African institutions in global academic standings. A total of 69 universities from 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa feature in the rankings, an increase from 55 universities from 14 countries last year.
Nigeria was the region's most represented country with 29 universities included in the standings. South Africa remained the higher education leader for the region with 17 universities included. Within the broader global context, South Africa had five universities in the global top 500 and eight in the top 1,000.
The expansion of representation was not limited to established higher education hubs. Malawi entered the rankings for the first time with Kamuzu University of Health Sciences placed in the 1,201-1,400 band. Ethiopia also returned to the standings with Mekelle University appearing in the same band.
Regional Performance and Global Context
While South Africa maintained its lead in volume, other nations in the region secured spots in the upper echelons of global rankings. Nigeria had three universities in the global top 1,000, all positioned in the 801-1,000 band. Ghana also saw representation in this tier, with two institutions placed in the same band.
The overall scope of the 2027 rankings covers 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories, an increase of 106 institutions from last year. At the very top of these standings, the University of Oxford retained the top position for an 11th consecutive year.
Phil Baty, Times Higher Education Chief Global Affairs Officer, stated: "Make no mistake Africa is a growing force in the geopolitics of knowledge, and its universities are earning a growing presence on the world stage."