Lists that rank universities are regularly published by the popular press.[1] Intended originally as a marketing or a benchmarking tool, university rankings are also used for research evaluation and policy initiatives.[2] Major ranking organizations (see tables below) attempt to fulfill a demand for information and transparency. However, rankings influence evaluation choices and distort higher education policies.[3] Organizations that publish these university rankings also use data analytics and maintain repositories of data that is related to institutions. They use this information to offering consulting services.[4] The effect is that a few private data compnow are effectively responsible for educational governance.[5] Termed the “analytics-industrial complex" ranking are more than measurements of quality, these privately held rankings define quality, shaping policy discussions and decisions.[5]
These list producers also allow well remunerated[6]vice-chancellors to justify their remuneration and claim a top spot for their university in an educational league.
These ranking, the publishers claim, are determined by quantitative indicators.[7] Published research suggests otherwise, rankings are re-shaping public education and harming the academic project. According to an Independent Expert Group (IEG), convened by the United Nations University International Institute for Global Health,[1] Global university rankings are
conceptually invalid
based on flawed and insufficiently transparent data and methods
biased towards research, STEM subjects, and English-speaking scholars
are colonial and accentuate global, regional, and national inequalities.
Rankings of universities in South Africa are used to influence how students, parents, policymakers, employers, the wider public and other stakeholders think about higher education. These local league tables are based on international university rankings since there are no South African rankings yet. This absence might be attributed to international criticism of college and university rankings. Its generally agreed that rankings apply questionable criteria and an opaque methodology. The Council for Higher Education (CHE) has recently taken a critical perspective on university rankings,[8] publishing an opinion that argues that rankings are both neocolonial and neoliberal. According to the author, more than 47 publishing companies have used “inappropriate indicators …as a proxy for offering a quality education”.[9]
Higher Education is being re-shaped by private for-profit companies[10] and are part of a billion-dollar profit center for the companies owning them.[11] Ranking companies prey on universities and governments in the global south, and their anxieties to be seen as a “world class” university.[11] This has led to number of gaming behaviors in the sector.[1] This is a global problem, and it seems that Higher Education priorities are misplaced, with marketing and communications officials focused on branding their institutions, looking appealing to prospective students, by referring repeatedly to rankings, instead of focusing on the needs of actual students.[12] Since 2013, Rhodes University has held this critical position about rankings [13] Rhodes position was given credence by Wits University, when Wits recently re-published an article in “The Conversation”[14] entitled “ University rankings are unscientific and bad for education: experts point out the flaws”.[15] This stance is increasingly supported by notable institutions beyond North America, such as the University of Zurich, Utrecht University, and some of the Indian Institutes of Technology.[16] Recently Nature concurred with this opinion that rankings are methodologically problematic.[9]
Notwithstanding the above information, the numerous international university rankings do seem to agree that South Africa's university system is the strongest on the continent: it is home to 8 of the top 10 highest ranked African universities.[17][18] The top five universities in the country are Stellenbosch University, University of Pretoria, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Cape Town, and University of Johannesburg. The University of Cape Town is currently the highest ranked university in Africa, although the University of the Witswatersrand is generally regarded as being in a firm second place, having exceeded or tied with the University of Cape Town in major rankings in recent years. In recent years the University of Stellenbosch has created contest for the second place.[19][20][21]
Context on South African higher educational institutions
A 2010 Centre for Higher Education Transformation report identified three university clusters in South Africa, grouped according to function.
The input variables used to group universities were:
Percentage of headcount enrolment in science, engineering and technology
Masters and doctoral enrolments
Student-to-staff ratios
Permanent staff with doctoral degrees
Private and government income
Student fee income
The output variables were:
Student success rates
Graduation rates
Weighted research output units per permanent staff member
The Red cluster constitutes the top research-intensive universities. The Blue cluster consists of institutions focused primarily on technical training, while the Green cluster includes institutions which show characteristics of both missions. The clusters are:[22]
South African University Clusters
Red Cluster
Green Cluster
Blue Cluster
Top Research-Intensive Universities
Research-Intensive Universities & Technical Training
Technical Training
University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Free State
Vaal University of Technology
Stellenbosch University
University of KwaZulu-Natal
Central University of Technology
University of Cape Town
North-West University
Durban University of Technology
University of Pretoria
University of Fort Hare
Mangosuthu University of Technology
Rhodes University
University of Limpopo
Tshwane University of Technology
University of the Western Cape
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
University of Johannesburg
University of Venda
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Walter Sisulu University
University of Zululand
Rankings
In part because of the inherent difficulty of ranking complex educational institutions, there are an expanding number of competing international university ranking schemes, each with a different emphasis. Four of the most prominent are the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (most widely accepted), The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), QS World University Rankings, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU, sometimes referred to as the "Shanghai Rankings").
Times Higher Education World University rankings
Top 10 South African University By World Ranking According To Times Higher Education
Times Higher Education 2011 to 2024 South Africa Rank
SA Rank
University
World Rank
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
1
University of Cape Town
167
160
183
155
136
136
171
148
120
124
126
126
103
107
=2
Stellenbosch University
301–350
251–300
251–300
251–300
251–300
251–300
351–400
401-500
301-350
276-300
301-350
301-350
251-275
-
=2
University of the Witwatersrand
301–350
251–300
251–300
201–250
194
194
251–300
182
201-250
251-275
226-250
226-250
251-275
-
4
University of Johannesburg
401–500
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601-800
-
-
-
-
-
-
=5
University of KwaZulu-Natal
501–600
401–500
351–400
351–400
401–500
401–500
401–500
501-600
401-500
-
-
-
-
-
=5
University of Pretoria
501–600
801–1000
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601-800
501-600
-
-
-
-
-
=7
North-West University
601–800
601–800
501–600
501–600
501–600
501–600
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=7
University of the Western Cape
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601–800
601-800
-
-
-
-
-
-
=9
University of the Free State
801–1000
801–1000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=9
Rhodes University
-
801–1000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=11
Durban University of Technology
1001–1200
501–600
401–500
401–500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=11
University of South Africa
1001–1200
1001–1200
801–1000
1001+
1001+
1001+
801–1000
801+
601-800
-
-
-
-
-
=13
University of Venda
1201–1500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=13
Tshwane University of Technology
1201–1500
-
1001–1200
1001+
801–1000
801–1000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=13
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
1201–1500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
=13
University of Fort Hare
-
1201–1500
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
QS World University rankings
Top 10 South African University By World Ranking According To QS
QS World University Rankings ranked the top South African universities as follows (before 2010 the ranking was known as the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings):[37]
QS World University 2006 to 2024 South Africa Rank
SA Rank
University
World Rank
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
1
University of Cape Town
173
237
226
220
198
200
191
191
171
141
145
154
161
146
176
200
257
2
University of Witwatersrand
264
428
424
403
400
381
364
359
331
318
313
363
360
321
319
282
322
3
Stellenbosch University
283
454
482
456
427
405
361
395
401-410
390
387
401- 450
-
-
-
-
-
4
University of Johannesburg
306
412
434
439
501-510
551-560
601-650
601-650
601-650
601-650
601-650
-
-
-
-
-
-
5
University of Pretoria
323
591-600
601-650
561-570
551-560
561-570
501-550
551-600
501-550
471-480
471-480
501-550
451–500
401–500
501–600
469
509
6
University of Kwazulu-Natal
621-630
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
751-800
701-750
651-700
551-600
501-550
501-550
551-600
501–550
501–600
401–500
487
484
7
North-West University
801-850
1001-1200
1001-1200
1001+
1001+
801-1000
801-1000
701+
701+
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8
University of South Africa
851-900
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9
Rhodes University
901-950
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
701-750
551-600
501-550
601-650
551-600
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
University of the Western Cape
951-1000
1001-1200
1001-1200
1001+
801-1000
801-1000
801-1000
701+
701+
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11
University of the Free State
1001-1200
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
ARWU/Shanghai
Top 10 South African University By World Ranking According To ARWU
The Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked the top South African universities as follows:
URAP, which is a newer ranking scheme based solely on quantitative measures of academic productivity, includes data for a larger number of global universities, and thus gives an alternative view of the relative standing of more South African institutions. The 2020-2021 edition of URAP ranked the top South African Universities as follows:[64]
University admissions in South Africa are highly competitive. South Africa has many universities renowned for their quality education and research opportunities. The limited number of spots available and the growing demand for tertiary education create high competition among matriculating students.
South African universities have some of the lowest admission rates, as only NSC Results, standardized test scores (National Benchmark Test) and demographic information play a role in determining admission.
In 2023, around 900 000 students participated in the NSC final exams, with around 570 000 students passing. South African universities have around 140 000 spaces for first years. Application costs range from Free to R300 ($15). Applications request the student's Grade 11 NSC results, Gender, Race and additionally may require the student to take the National Benchmark Test. Acceptance rates range from 1.35% to 20%.[65]
↑Kochetkov, Dmitry (2024). "University rankings in the context of research evaluation: A state-of-the-art review" (in en). Quantitative Science Studies: 1–23. doi:10.1162/qss_a_00317.
↑Chirikov, Igor (2023-10-01). "Does conflict of interest distort global university rankings?" (in en). Higher Education86 (4): 791–808. doi:10.1007/s10734-022-00942-5. ISSN1573-174X.