UCT back in top 10 for development studies

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has moved up two places to reclaim its position in the top 10 in the 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject – placing among the top 100 universities in a total nine disciplines.

The 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject assessed 1 222 institutions, ranking them across 48 disciplines in five broad subject areas.

For deveIopment studies, UCT moved up two places from 2018 and now occupies 9^th position. UCT is also the only university in the global south to feature among the top 10 for this discipline.

Eight other subjects at UCT were also ranked among the top 100 in the latest rankings. These are  anatomy and physiology, anthropology, archaeology, architecture/built environment, education, geography, social policy and administration, and sports-related subjects.

UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng welcomed the results as recognising UCT’s strengths in these areas.

“We at UCT pride ourselves on the impact of our research in combating the numerous issues faced by our continent – and more broadly, the global south,” she said.

UCT’s strengths 

“Our position among the top 10 for development studies, in particular, is evidence of the value of our research, and teaching and learning in this area at UCT.”

“Our position among the top 10 for development studies, in particular, is evidence of the value of our research, and teaching and learning in this area at UCT.”

UCT’s rankings in the five broad subject areas for 2019 were:

• Arts & humanities: 145th
• Engineering & technology: 300th
• Life sciences & medicine: 112nd
• Natural sciences: 223rd
• Social sciences & management: 166^th

At the end of last year, UCT was ranked 72^nd in the world for clinical, pre-clinical and health in the 2019 Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings by subject.

A further three subjects were ranked: psychology was placed in the 101–125 band (only the top 100 are given specific places in the THE rankings), life sciences ranked 151–175, and physical sciences ranked 301–400.

The rankings for the four subjects in November 2018 followed similar positive rankings announced the previous month, when arts and humanities was ranked in the 151–175 band.

UCT was also ranked in the top 100 in the world in a further three subjects: law (77th place), social sciences (89th place), and education (95th). In the education category, UCT shared the 95th place with Finland’s University of Jyväskylä.