Best universities in Africa 2024
Find the best universities in Africa using Times Higher Education’s data from the World University Rankings and the Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, and learn how they shine a spotlight on higher education in this region.
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Top 10 universities in Africa 2024
Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Africa and a breakdown of the top four
Africa Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2023 | University | country |
1 | 167 | 160 | University of Cape Town | South Africa |
=2 | 301–350 | 251–300 | Stellenbosch University | South Africa |
=2 | 301–350 | 251–300 | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa |
4 | 401–500 | 601–800 | University of Johannesburg | South Africa |
=5 | 501–600 | 401–500 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa |
=5 | 501–600 | 801–1000 | University of Pretoria | South Africa |
=7 | 601–800 | 351–400 | University of Cape Coast | Ghana |
=7 | 601–800 | NR | Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) | Egypt |
=7 | 601–800 | 601–800 | North-West University | South Africa |
=7 | 601–800 | 601–800 | University of the Western Cape | South Africa |
The best universities in Africa span 16 countries, from Uganda in the east to Nigeria in the west, Morocco in the north to South Africa at the southernmost tip of the continent, according to the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024.
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Best universities in Sub-Saharan Africa
Overall, Egypt and Algeria are the two best represented African countries in the ranking, with 28 and 15 universities each. While the top 10 is dominated by universities in South Africa, 12 South African universities are represented in the full ranking.
Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa all have universities in the top 1,000 of the global ranking.
The ranking rates university performance using 18 indicators measuring teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry. The full methodology can be found here.
Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings
It’s important to note that we also produce a separate Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, which aim to shine a spotlight on the higher education institutions in this African region and to address local higher education challenges.
The difference between the World University Rankings and the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings is that the World University Rankings provide an insight into highly research-intensive universities across the world. They are ideal for students who are interested in postgraduate careers in academia.
Meanwhile, the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings are focused more specifically on the quality of teaching and the strengths of the universities across Sub-Saharan Africa. This ranking has been designed to take aspects of both Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into consideration.
A key part of the data collection was a survey of more than 20,000 students from 88 institutions. Students were asked a range of questions including how challenged they felt by the teaching at the university, how much it supported critical thinking and the opportunities they had to interact with staff and peers.
You can see the full Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings here or the top 10 universities in the table below.
SSA Rank 2023 | University | Country |
1 | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa |
2 | University of Johannesburg | South Africa |
3 | Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences | Tanzania |
4 | University of Pretoria | South Africa |
5 | Makerere University | Uganda |
6 | University of the Western Cape | South Africa |
7 | Covenant University | Nigeria |
8 | UGHE – University of Global Health Equity | Rwanda |
9 | Ashesi University | Ghana |
10 | Ardhi University | Tanzania |
Top 4 universities in Africa 2024
4. University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg (UJ), situated in South Africa, is renowned for its dedication to diversity and forward-thinking approach. It excels in various academic fields, emphasises critical thinking and collaboration, and offers a wide range of programmes across eight faculties.
As a research institution, UJ addresses various challenges, from early childhood development to cutting-edge technologies. It fosters personal and academic growth through sports, arts and culture.
UJ’s diverse community, with members from more than 50 countries, benefits from global collaborations. The university is dedicated to inclusion and seeks to be a premier African institution promoting respect and innovation.
The University of Johannesburg also takes the second place position in the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings.
=2. University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand – or Wits University, as it is commonly known – is a public research university based in Johannesburg.
It was founded as a school of mining; the region is the most abundant with gold of any location worldwide.
The university grew significantly in the late 20th century, and the campus has been expanding with many new buildings.
That time was also a period of protest against apartheid policies, and the university campus was divided. Nonetheless, many prominent black leaders graduated from the university.
There are five campuses, with two joined by a walkway. The campuses are home to student residences (including female-only dorms), academic departments, the Origins Centre, Planetarium, theatres, museums and galleries.
Academic research and teaching are spread across five faculties: Commerce, Law and Management; Engineering and the Built Environment; Health Sciences; Science; and Humanities.
Through the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, the medical school trains more specialists than any other university in southern Africa.
The Disability Rights Unit is a flagship centre ensuring that higher education is accessible to disabled students, caregivers and others in need of special provisions.,
Wits University also takes the first place position in the Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.
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=2. Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is located in South Africa’s Western Cape, 50km from Cape Town. The university town maintains Dutch colonial architecture, and its streets host an array of cafés, boutiques and galleries.
Teaching at the university is split over four campuses, with the main one in Stellenbosch and the others in the nearby area.
Students can complete assignments and exams in both English and Afrikaans, even though the main language of instruction is Afrikaans. For postgraduate students, the language in classes is determined by the demographic of the class, and is usually English.
There are about 150 academic departments within 10 faculties, and many other research centres.
In addition to an extensive library system, the university has a conservatory with two concert halls, home of the Stellenbosch University Choir – the oldest South African choir.
1. University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town’s campus is located at the foot of Table Mountain, offering spectacular views of Devil’s Peak and across the city. Some 18 per cent of the student body are international.
The university was founded in 1829, making it the oldest university in the country and the second oldest in Africa, behind the University of Sierra Leone, which was established two years earlier.
The main campus contains many teaching faculties, the main library and some halls of residence. The middle and lower campuses are home to most of the student residences, sports facilities and some academic departments.
Academic departments are grouped into six faculties: Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Law.
In addition, the university’s Graduate School of Business runs independently from the commerce faculty.
The university is committed to social change through its “transformation” projects, which tackle issues such as diversity, student opportunity and behaviour.
Best universities in Africa 2024
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results