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UCT remains top university in Africa

16 January 2019 | Story Supplied. Photo Michael Hammond. Read time 3 min.
UCT remains the best university in Africa, according to the 2019 Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings.
UCT remains the best university in Africa, according to the 2019 Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) remains the top university in Africa, holding its position at ninth in the 2019 Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings.

For the Emerging Economies Rankings, THE uses the same 13 performance indicators as for their World University Rankings to judge a university’s strengths across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

However, the weightings are recalibrated to better reflect the characteristics and priorities of universities in emerging economies. More weighting is given to a university’s industry links and international outlook, for example.

UCT’s scores in the teaching and research categories increased, as did its reputation survey scores, which are the most prominent within these categories. This offers a good indicator of the institution’s positive international reputation among leading academics.

The notably improved research score confirms UCT as a research-intensive institution producing cutting-edge outputs.

 

“The notably improved research score confirms UCT as a research-intensive institution producing cutting-edge outputs.”

Destination of choice

Scores for the citations and international outlook categories increased too, pointing to the continued impact and influence of UCT’s research and affirming the university as a destination of choice for international students.

Despite a slight drop in the industry income category, which reflects UCT’s research impact and contribution to industry, this remains the university’s highest score across the categories.

China continues to dominate the Emerging Economies University Rankings, with seven universities in the top 10. This year Tsinghua University surpasses Peking University as the top institution overall. Zhejiang University moves up three places to third position, displacing Lomonosov Moscow State University which moves down to fifth.

South Africa has nine institutions in the ranking, up from eight last year, and retains seven in the top 200.

The ranking includes 442 universities from 43 countries.

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Highlights from 2019

 

As we look back on 2019, we celebrate the top 40 stories that were most popular with readers of the UCT News website during the year.



 
 
 
 
 
 

Prestigious scholarship for star pupil Prospective UCT student Terrell Demorgan has been awarded the inaugural Daniel Samuel Maseko Memorial Scholarship for 2020. 31 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT adds Khoekhoegowab to its language courses UCT announced during its Africa Month celebrations the addition of Khoekhoegowab, the indigenous Khoisan language, to its multilingual short courses. 30 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT in top 1.3% globally UCT ranks best in Africa, according to the latest Center for World University Rankings. 30 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Touch down for SA’s banking Siri Four UCT students have developed a one-stop banking shop that performs banking transactions, monitors account activity and speaks four South African languages. 30 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Warm response to Moloi-Motsepe’s election as chancellor Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe has been elected as the University of Cape Town’s sixth chancellor. She will take up the position from 1 January 2020. 29 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT tops in Africa in all five major rankings UCT took the top spot in South Africa and jumped back into the 201–300 band in the latest ShanghaiRankingʼs Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019. 28 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT best in Africa in world rankings UCT has been ranked the best university on the continent in the 2020 US News Best Global Universities rankings. 27 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Cape Town’s drought under the microscope PhD candidate Precious Mahlalela dedicated her masterʼs thesis to understanding the cause of the Mother City’s recent drought and received recognition in a top international journal. 27 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
SA’s first ‘LinkedIn for creatives’ Three UCT Commerce students have designed an online platform that gives creative professionals a way to network and share their work with a vast audience. 27 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Common contraceptive could raise TB risk A breakthrough study at UCT has revealed that one of the country’s most commonly used injectable contraceptives could potentially increase users’ risk of contracting tuberculosis. 26 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT graduates ‘highly sought after’ UCT Careers Service’s Graduate Exit Survey confirms that the university’s graduates remain “highly sought after”, with only about 10% of the 2018 class still seeking jobs. 25 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Levelling the maths, physics playing field Thabang Sebetoane’s brainchild, the tutoring project Tshehetso, uses coaching and mentoring to prepare potential engineering students for success at university. 24 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Dual degree was ‘a juggling act’ With diligence and perseverance, UCT student Kira Düsterwald simultaneously graduated with her degree in medicine and her masterʼs in neuroscience. 24 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Balance key to two-in-one degree Balance was key to UCT’s Nicola Steinhaus graduating with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree concurrently. 24 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT master’s degrees pull international students A significant number of UCT’s 605 new international students in 2019 have signed up for master’s degree programmes, a trend that’s evident across all six academic faculties. 23 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
‘This is my mother’s graduation’ While it’s his name on the degree, Ntebogang Segone says his 17 April graduation belongs to his mother. 23 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
New ‘fully funded’ scholarship for top young researchers UCT's new Vice-Chancellor Research Scholarship will support and develop the university's top young researchers as they tackle society's most pressing challenges. 23 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Hon doc for maths ‘trailblazer’ Phakeng VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng says her honorary doctorate from the University of Bristol is “a recognition of the many people who made me, those I represent”. 22 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Student’s urine-recovery system for R600m building In a first for South Africa, a urine-recovery urinal system developed at UCT has been incorporated into the design of a R600-million Centurion office building. 21 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Tackling the fake qualifications threat Universities and employers in South Africa have a vital tool to tackle the fake qualifications menace, thanks to the country’s world-first online verification system MiE. 20 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Changing face of UCT infrastructure A new 500-bed residence, an education building and a redeveloped North Bus Stop are among seven new developments in the pipeline to meet UCT’s needs to 2035. 20 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Student’s 3D-printer plan to change education UCT student Denislav Marinov has big plans for democratising quality education in South Africa, one 3D printer at a time. 20 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Black women academics: ‘Stay in the system’ Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng’s plea to young black women academics ahead of Women’s Day is that they “stay in the system” to change the status quo in academia. 19 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT back in top 10 for development studies UCT has moved up two places in the 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject, to reclaim its position in the top 10. 19 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
‘Something is deeply wrong with our society’ During a memorial service for Uyinene Mrwetyana, UCT chancellor, Mrs Graça Machel, said South Africa faces a deeply rooted problem and needs help. 19 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Students share their top study tips With just over a week to go before exams start, UCT students share their tried and tested tips for study success. 18 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Leverage privilege to change education, Madonsela urges Apartheid has cast a huge shadow over the country, particularly education, and it will need all of society to break the cycle of poverty. 18 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
UCT says ‘Enough is enough’ at Parliament picket UCT students and staff were joined by members of the public in a picket at Parliament to protest escalating sexual and gender-based violence. 18 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Matric maths pass rate poses significant challenge for universities Universities may have to swop targeted interventions for systemic change if they are to successfully graduate the strongest students currently exiting the South African school system. 17 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Solving SA’s literacy crisis An education expert told UCT Summer School participants that thereʼs no quick fix for South Africaʼs literacy crisis. It will take time and hard work. 17 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
Racism and ‘xenophobia’: 10 key points UCT News highlighted 10 key points from UCT PhD candidate Ivan Katsere’s op-ed on the centrality of racism in violence against African migrants. 17 Dec 2019 Highlight from 2019
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