Only three South African universities have secured positions among the top 500 tertiary institutions worldwide, according to the latest Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) released yesterday.
The 2025 rankings reveal a concerning trend as South Africa lost ground in global academic standings, with one fewer university in the elite top 500 compared to last year. The total number of South African institutions in the global 2 000 ranking has also decreased to just 12, following Tshwane University of Technology’s drop from the list.
The University of Cape Town continues to lead South African higher education, despite falling four positions to 275th globally. Wits University follows closely at 292nd place after dropping one position, while Stellenbosch University completes the top-tier trio at 458th place after a significant 18-place decline.
“The decline in rankings among nine of the 12 South African universities signals alarming challenges in the country’s higher education sector,” said Dr. Nadim Mahassen, President of the Centre for World University Rankings.
Dr. Mahassen pointed to weakening research performance amid intensified global competition as the primary cause for concern. “While several countries are placing the development of education and science high on their agenda, South Africa is struggling to keep pace,” he noted.
The report highlighted that limited financial backing from the South African government has hampered universities’ ability to compete with well-funded international institutions. “Without stronger funding and strategic planning, South Africa risks falling further behind in the rapidly evolving global academic landscape,” Dr. Mahassen warned.
Outside the top 500, the University of KwaZulu-Natal ranked 505th (down from 483rd last year), followed by the University of Pretoria at 557th. The University of Johannesburg (607th), North-West University (860th), University of the Free State (1141st), University of Western Cape (1189th), and University of South Africa (1224th) round out the country’s representation in the global rankings.
In a silver lining to the otherwise concerning report, three institutions bucked the downward trend. The University of Pretoria, North-West University, and the University of South Africa (Unisa) all improved their positions compared to the 2024 rankings.
The CWUR evaluation noted that while UCT experienced declines in education quality and research indicators, it showed improvement in graduate employability – a critical factor for students selecting universities in today’s competitive job market.
Education analysts suggest that strategic investments in research capabilities, international collaborations, and targeted funding could help reverse the trend for South African universities in future rankings.
The global top-10 universities for 2025 are as follows:
1. Harvard University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Stanford University
4. University of Cambridge
5. University of Oxford
6. Princeton University
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Columbia University
9. Yale University
10. University of Chicago
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