UCT ranked top in Africa for sport science

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has been placed top in South Africa and Africa in the ShanghaiRanking’s 2021 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments. Notably, UCT also rose from 47th place in the 2020 rankings to 41st in 2021.

First published in 2016, the rankings highlight the performance of more than 300 universities, among which, in 2021, are 13 sports universities and 287 universities with sport-related units. Of these, 41 have more than one sport-related institution or unit.

“We are a small group of dedicated researchers, including 12 NRF-rated scientists, enthusiastic postgraduates and wide network of international collaborations,” said Professor Vicki Lambert, the director of UCT’s Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS).

“We innovate, developing bespoke solutions relevant to the Global South.”

“We are committed to translation of our work, that it is inclusive and ‘difference-making’ to policy and practice, and that we innovate, developing bespoke solutions relevant to the Global South.”

The ranking’s methodology assesses universities according to several indicators, including papers indexed in Web of Science (20%), total citations (20%), citations per paper (25%), papers published in top 25% journals (25%), and percentage of papers with international co-authorship (10%).

The accolade follows other strong performances by UCT in 2021 with the university leading Africa in five major world university rankings: the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings, Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) and the ShanghaiRanking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

View the complete ShanghaiRanking’s 2021 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.

Read more about the rankings methodology.