Stellenbosch University (SU) has achieved a remarkable feat in 2020 by being ranked among the best universities in the world on three different global university rankings. Confirming the outcome of other recent rankings, is the latest version of the US News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking in which SU is ranked number 321 – occupying the third spot among leading universities in South Africa and Africa. With this achievement, it has cemented its place among the top 1% of universities in the world.
The Best Global Universities Rankings focus specifically on institutions' research performance and reputation overall. It encompasses nearly 1,500 top institutions spread across 86 countries and uses indicators such as global and regional research reputation, total citations, number of publications that are among the 10% most cited, and international collaboration.
Universities are also ranked according to Subjects and here SU performed well. It is the best in South Africa in Agricultural Sciences (#104 globally), Biology and Biochemistry (#266 globally) and Environment and Ecology (#100 globally). The University also ranked in the top 100 globally in Infectious Diseases coming in at #92. Other notable accomplishments are Arts and Humanities (#208), Clinical Medicine (#212), Immunology (#150), Plant and Animal Science (#141) and Public, Environmental and Occupational Health (#153).
Commenting on SU's most recent achievement, Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Internationalisation at SU, said that the outcome of this ranking is further proof of the institution's rise in stature among universities worldwide and underscores one of its core strategic themes namely, Research for Impact. “As this ranking focuses more on research performance, it is also a fitting recognition of the calibre and stature of our researchers."
Earlier this year, SU was also ranked among the top universities on the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Rankings, and the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
