Top 10 universities in Southern Africa, according to latest ranking (2026)

Higher education in Southern Africa is having a defining moment. The latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 offer a fresh snapshot of how the region’s institutions stack up on the global stage, and the results show a mix of consistency at the top and steady ambition further down the table.

From research powerhouses in Cape Town and Johannesburg to rising institutions in Botswana, Southern Africa’s universities are competing not just regionally, but internationally.

Globally, 2,191 universities across 115 countries and territories were assessed on teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook.

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While the University of Oxford retained the world’s top spot for the tenth consecutive year, Southern Africa’s leading institutions continue to carve out their own space in an increasingly competitive academic landscape.

Here are the Top 10 universities in Southern Africa in 2026, according to the latest rankings:

Rank: 164 Overall score: 60.8

Performance indicators:

Founded in 1829, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is a multicultural, multinational community of around 5,000 academic and professional staff, supported by approximately 29,000 students from over 100 countries. The university offers degrees across six faculties – Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law, and Science – with roughly 7,200 students graduating each year.

Rank: 301–350 Overall score: 51.6–54.2

Performance indicators:

Founded in 1918 in the town of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch University started with four faculties – Arts, Science, Education, and Agriculture – with 503 students and 40 lecturers. It has grown into a university of 32,225 students across five campuses and 10 faculties, guided by 3,400 academic and professional staff.

Rank: 301–350 Overall score: 51.6–54.2

Performance indicators:

Commonly known as “Wits,” the University of the Witwatersrand developed from the South African School of Mines established in Kimberley in 1896. It moved to Johannesburg in 1904 and became a full university in 1922. From its founding, Wits embraced non-discrimination, which led to tensions with the apartheid government.

Rank: 351–400 Overall score: 49.9–51.5

Performance indicators:

The University of Johannesburg leads in 4th Industrial Revolution thinking. Across four campuses, it offers vocational, academic, professional, and postgraduate programs through eight faculties: Art, Design and Architecture; Education; Engineering and the Built Environment; Health Sciences; Humanities; Law; Science; and the College of Business and Economics.

Rank: 501–600 Overall score: 43.6–46.1

Performance indicators:

Formed in 2004 after merging the University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has five campuses and maintains partnerships with over 250 institutions worldwide.

Rank: 501–600 Overall score: 43.6–46.1

Performance indicators:

Founded 105 years ago, the University of Pretoria (UP) is a research-intensive institution with nine faculties and a business school. It has over 50,000 students, including 13,000 postgraduates and 4,500 international students, 67% of whom are from SADC countries.

Rank: 601–800 Overall score: 39.0–43.5

Performance indicators:

Established in 1959 in Bellville, Cape Town, the University of the Western Cape has seven faculties, including Arts, Community and Health Sciences, Dentistry, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Law, and Natural Science.

Rank: 1001–1200 Overall score: 32.1–35.4

Performance indicators:

Founded as Botswana’s flagship university, UB has risen into the 1001–1200 band in the 2026 rankings, an improvement of 74 places. The university is noted for research quality and international outlook, competing with far larger institutions globally. UB serves as a symbol of Botswana’s commitment to the global knowledge economy.

Rank: 1001–1200 Overall score: 32.1–35.4

Performance indicators:

Founded in 1904 in Bloemfontein, the University of the Free State transitioned from Afrikaans-only to English-medium instruction in 2016. It has faculties in Health Science, Law, Education, Theology and Religion, Humanities, and Economics and Management Science.

Rank: 1201–1500 Overall score: 27.3–32.0

Performance indicators:

Founded in 2005 in Palapye, BIUST is Botswana’s first provincial university and focuses on science and technology. It has faculties of Engineering & Technology and Sciences, alongside a centre for Business Management, Entrepreneurship, and General Education. Its research culture is recognised in the Nature Index for Botswana.

Source: Business Insider Africa