Africa’s presence in global higher education took center stage this week following the release of the 2026 QS World University Rankings, which featured 47 African universities among the world’s top 1,500 institutions. While the continent continues to make inroads on the international stage, the data reveals a mixed picture, with notable gains by some universities and signs of stagnation across much of Sub-Saharan Africa.
At the forefront of the continent’s performance is the University of Cape Town (UCT), which climbed 21 positions to rank 150th globally — its highest-ever placement and a significant leap from 171st in the previous year. UCT’s continued rise reflects its robust academic reputation, research output, and global partnerships.
UCT wasn’t alone in showcasing progress. Other African institutions in the global top 500 include the University of the Witwatersrand (291), Stellenbosch University (302), University of Johannesburg (308), Cairo University (347), University of Pretoria (362), and the American University in Cairo (381). These rankings confirm South Africa and Egypt’s continued dominance in Africa’s higher education landscape.
Nationally, Egypt led the continent with 20 universities featured in the rankings, followed by South Africa with 11. Tunisia had four, Nigeria had three, and Ghana and Morocco had two each. Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Sudan, and Uganda each had one institution ranked.
The University of Tunis El Manar emerged as Africa’s most improved institution, climbing 40 positions to the 731–740 bracket, further underscoring North Africa’s growing academic footprint.
However, the overall picture for Sub-Saharan Africa is less encouraging. According to QS data, only three institutions in the region improved their rankings — all from South Africa. The University of Johannesburg moved up four positions to 308, while the University of KwaZulu-Natal rose 29 spots to 558. In contrast, most other universities in the region either remained static or dropped in rank.
Ben Sowter, Senior Vice President at QS, emphasised the urgency of the situation, warning that Sub-Saharan universities risk falling behind without greater investment and reform. “With only three of the 19 institutions in the region improving their rankings, universities should ensure they keep up with improvements and academic progress in higher education elsewhere in the world,” he noted.
This year’s QS rankings assessed institutions based on ten indicators, including academic reputation, research citations per faculty, employer reputation, graduate outcomes, faculty-student ratio, international faculty and student ratios, global research networks, and sustainability.
Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the number one spot for the 14th year in a row, followed by Imperial College London, Stanford University, the University of Oxford, and Harvard University.
As Africa’s leading institutions continue to rise, the rankings underscore a growing divide between regions and highlight the need for broader reforms to ensure that the entire continent advances together in the competitive world of global academia.
Article by Jed Mwangi
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