Stellenbosch University (SU) ranks among the world’s leading universities in two global rankings released within the same month.

It appeared for the third time in four years among the top 300 universities on the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR), the latest – the 2027 edition – released on Thursday 18 June. The university took 296th place globally, an improvement on last year’s 302nd position.

Earlier this month it also featured among the top 2,2% of institutions worldwide on the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR) ranking. For the second consecutive year SU took third place in South Africa and on the continent.

It is also the country’s leading university for citations per faculty and second in terms of academic reputation.

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The institution performed well by improving its overall score. This score represents the aggregate of the scores that universities achieve in each of the nine indicators or categories used to assess universities.

Compared to last year SU also improved its position on the global ranking in three of the nine indicators: academic reputation, citations per faculty, and international research network.

It did, however, decline in the remaining six indicators. This can also be attributed to other universities improving in the same indicators as well as an increase in the number of institutions evaluated for the 2027 edition.

Institutions were assessed against the following nine indicators:

• global academic reputation;
• employer reputation (producing the most work-ready graduates);
• faculty-to-student ratio;
• citations per faculty;
• international faculty ratio;
• international student ratio;
• international research network;
• employment outcomes; and
• sustainability.

In the latest edition of the QS WUR, which is regarded as one of the three premier university ranking systems worldwide, 1 501 institutions across 106 locations were evaluated. The group was pooled from 8 808 institutions, including 94 newly added universities.

“Although the university does not actively participate in the QS rankings we are delighted to have moved into the top 300. This is a positive achievement,” said Prof Sibusiso Moyo, SU Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Internationalisation.

“It is encouraging to observe that our sustained investment in research, postgraduate training and international collaboration continues to be reflected in the global rankings. Of greater importance, however, is that the university measures its success above all by the difference it makes in the lives of its students, its communities and society at large.

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“That purpose is guided by our Vision 2040 and the new Strategic Plan 2026-2030, which place excellence, inclusion, innovation, partnership and social impact at the forefront of everything the university does. We remain committed to advancing knowledge in the service of society, meaningful engagement and research that contributes to human dignity, social justice and transformation.”

Moyo congratulated the other South African and African universities recognised in the QS rankings. He said the outcome reflects the depth of research and scholarship across the higher education sector. “The SU remains committed to working alongside its partners to address the complex challenges facing the continent and the world.”

Merely academic indicators

SU has previously indicated that it regarded rankings for what they are: useful but partial indicators, rather than measures of a university’s full worth. Rankings are effective in capturing research outputs, citation impact, international visibility, academic reputation and success in securing research funding, the SU has noted.

However, these rankings are less adept at reflecting social mobility, community impact, the success of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, regional economic development, nation building, policy influence and cultural contribution.

In a statement released in response to the latest rankings SU said a university ranked 50th globally may make a modest contribution to local challenges, while one ranked 500th may transform thousands of lives through teacher training, health care, agricultural innovation or public service.

The SU has consistently featured among the leading tertiary institutions on the QS WUR, the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, the CWUR, the Academic Ranking of World Universities and the World University Rankings by Subject over several years.