The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027 assessed 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories — its largest exercise to date — and Africa's top institutions have held their ground, with South Africa dominating the continental top ten. Here are the ten best-ranked universities in Africa in the latest edition.
How the rankings work
The 2027 rankings are the most comprehensive assessment THE has conducted. Universities were judged on five pillars: teaching, research, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook. The number of sub-Saharan African universities featured also grew from 55 to 69 institutions, a sign of the continent's expanding footprint in global higher education.
Africa's top 10 universities
1. University of Cape Town, South Africa (147th in the world)
UCT retained its position as Africa's leading university, rising to joint 147th globally, up from joint 164th in the previous edition. Founded in 1829, it is home to roughly 20,318 students and achieved an overall score of 62.4.
2. University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (301–325)
Widely known as Wits, the Johannesburg institution came in second across Africa, scoring between 53.4 and 54.8.
3. Stellenbosch University, South Africa (326–350)
One of the continent's oldest and most research-intensive universities, based in the Western Cape winelands.
4. University of Johannesburg, South Africa (351–375)
Formed in 2005 through the merger of three institutions, UJ has quickly climbed into the continental elite.
5. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco (376–400)
Africa's best-ranked institution outside South Africa. Established in 2016 as part of a sustainability-focused urban development initiative, it has just 2,650 students and an impressive student-to-staff ratio of 7:1.
6. University of Pretoria, South Africa (451–500)
One of South Africa's largest research universities and a consistent top-ten performer on the continent.
7. University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (501–550)
UKZN maintains partnerships with more than 250 institutions worldwide.
8. American University in Cairo, Egypt (701–800)
Founded in 1919, AUC scored between 40.2 and 42.3, and remains the leading university in North Africa outside Morocco's top performer.
9. University of the Western Cape, South Africa (701–800)
Completing South Africa's seven-strong representation in the continental top ten.
10. Al-Azhar University, Egypt (801–1,000)
A historic outlier on the list: its origins stretch back to 970 AD, though it only received formal university status in 1961. It currently enrols 296,734 students, with international students accounting for 14% of that figure — by far the largest student body in the top ten.
What stands out
Seven of Africa's ten best-ranked universities are South African, underlining the country's continued dominance in continental higher education. Morocco and Egypt each contribute institutions to the top ten, and with sub-Saharan representation growing from 55 to 69 universities, the field is widening year on year. UCT's climb into the world's top 150, meanwhile, shows the continent's best can compete at the highest global level.
Source: Opera News / Yen.com.gh — Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027
