The University of Cape Town is ranked first. The rankings, which were the most extensive ever, were predicated on a rigorously revised methodology comprising five pillars: industry, teaching, international outlook, research environment, and research quality, according to THE chief data officer Duncan Ross.
From 97 institutions in 2022 to 113 institutions in the 20th edition of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024, the number of African universities participating has increased by 16%.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa was the only institution in Africa to be ranked among the top 200. It was positioned 167th out of 1,904 universities representing 108 countries and regions.
At a glance: List of Top 10 Best Universities in Africa 2024
- University of Cape Town
- Stellenbosch University
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Pretoria
- University of Cape Coast
- Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology
- University of Western Cape Al-
- Azhar University
- Alexandria University
1. University of Cape Town
The South African College, which was founded in 1829, attained its complete university status in 1918, thereby attaining the distinction of being the oldest university in South Africa. Additionally,It is also the oldest continuously operating university in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2. Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is the preeminent academic institution in Africa. The institution declares that it aspires to be the preeminent research-intensive institution in Africa, renowned worldwide for its excellence, inclusivity, and innovation.
3. University of Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, is a public research university with multiple campuses located in the central northern region of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mining is an ancient industry that has influenced Johannesburg and the Witwatersrand as a whole, including the university.
Established in Kimberley in 1896 under the name South African School of Mines, it is the third oldest continuously operating university in South Africa. •
4. University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is located in the South African province of Gauteng. Students can pursue undergraduate, graduate, and online studies at this institution.
Since assuming office on January 1, 2023, Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi has served as vice-chancellor and principal of UJ. Additionally, Nigeria has blacklisted a list of foreign universities as Tinubu’s government cracks down on forged credentials.
List of Top 10 Best Universities in Africa 2024, Read more below;
5. University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria (UP) is the largest contact university in South Africa and one of the leading universities in Africa. The institution regards itself as “a leading research-intensive university in Africa, recognised internationally for our quality education, relevance, and impact” .
6. University Cape Coast
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) is a publicly funded tertiary institution situated in the central region of Ghana, in the historic town of Cape Coast.
The campus is situated on a hill with an uncommon seafront view of the Atlantic Ocean. The Southern Campus (Old Site) and the Northern Campus (New Site) are its operational locations.
7. Egypt-Japan University of Technology and Science
The Egypt-Japan University for Science and Technology (E-JUST) was founded in 2009 as a collaborative effort between the governments of Egypt and Japan in Alexandria, Egypt.
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In 2010, the university commenced its inaugural enrollment of students. Despite receiving financial backing from the Japanese Supporting University Consortium and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the operation of the university is wholly under the jurisdiction of the Egyptian government.
8. University of Western Cape
University of the Western Cape UWC, an Afrikaans acronym for Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland, is a public research institution situated in Bellville, South Africa, in close proximity to Cape Town.
The university was founded in 1959 as an institution exclusively for individuals of color by the South African government.
9. Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar College Although not officially recognized as a university until 1961, Al-Azhar University was established in Cairo, Egypt in 970 AD, placing it technically among the earliest universities in the world.
By 988 AD, it had been formally organized and was given its name after the mosque in the medieval quarter of Cairo, which the Shi’ite Fatimid Dynasty had established in 970 AD.
10. Alexandria University
Established in 1938, Alexandria University in Egypt was originally known as Farouk University and operated as a satellite body of Fuad University (which would later become Cairo University).
Alexandria University became an independent institution in 1942 and was renamed following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.