Latest Ranking: 10 best universities in Africa

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked university in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, with the continent showing broader representation in the latest global assessment. UCT placed joint 147th in the world, improving from its joint 164th position in the previous edition, as universities across Africa continued to gain visibility in international higher education. The latest ranking features 69 universities from sub-Saharan Africa, compared with 55 in the previous edition.

South Africa dominated the African list, accounting for most of the continent’s highest-ranked institutions. Universities from Morocco and Egypt also secured places among Africa’s leading institutions. For the 2027 edition, Times Higher Education evaluated 2,297 universities in 118 countries and territories, making it the largest ranking exercise conducted by the organisation.

The ranking considers a range of measures, including teaching, research, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook. Below are the 10 best-ranked universities in Africa in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. University of Cape Town — South Africa The University of Cape Town retained the top position in Africa, ranking joint 147th globally with an overall score of 62.4.

Founded in 1829, UCT is based in Cape Town and is among the oldest universities on the continent. Its academic structure comprises six faculties: Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science. UCT has 20,318 students, with women accounting for 57% and men 43%.

International students make up 13% of the university’s total student population. University of the Witwatersrand — South Africa The University of the Witwatersrand, widely known as Wits, occupies the 301–325 bracket globally, recording an overall score between 53.4 and 54.8. The institution traces its origins to the South African School of Mines, founded in Kimberley in 1896.

It relocated to Johannesburg in 1904 before attaining full university status in 1922. Wits has 26,766 students, comprising 61% women and 39% men. International students represent 5% of the population, while its student-to-staff ratio stands at 21.6:1.