The University of Cape Town (UCT) has retained its position as the top university in South Africa and on the African continent in the 2026-2027 US News Best Global Universities Rankings, released on 17 June 2026. UCT was also ranked among the world's top 100 universities in four subjects and in the top 200 globally in a further seven subject areas.
UCT is ranked 122nd globally, tied with King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, improving on its 124th-place position in the 2025-2026 edition.
This year's ranking assessed 2 250 universities worldwide, placing UCT among the top 5% of ranked institutions globally. The result reinforces the university's standing as a globally recognised research-intensive university whose scholarship continues to shape knowledge, policy and practice both on the continent and internationally.
"UCT's influence goes beyond ranking positions."
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Unlike many global rankings that assess teaching, employability and sustainability, the US News Best Global Universities Rankings focus primarily on research performance and reputation. The methodology evaluates universities based on indicators such as global and regional research reputation, publications, citations and international research collaboration.
Results from Clarivate's Academic Reputation Survey, aggregated over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, were used alongside bibliometric data drawn from the Web of Science database for the period 2020 to 2024. Together, these measures provide an indication of both the influence and visibility of a university's research on the global stage.
"UCT's influence goes beyond ranking positions. Our mission is to deliver outstanding teaching and learning, while advancing both curiosity-driven research and work that addresses the evolving challenges of our time. Together, these efforts contribute towards shaping a sustainable future and this result reflects the breadth of that impact," said the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, Professor Thokozani Majozi.
Strong performance across disciplines
UCT's strongest-performing subject was infectious diseases, where it ranked 14th globally.
Responding to this result, Professor Digby Warner, director of UCT's Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine noted: "This recognition is especially meaningful because much of this work is conducted in settings where infectious diseases remain among the most urgent health challenges.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
It also comes at a time when the funding landscape for infectious disease research is becoming increasingly constrained, both locally and internationally. Rather than encouraging complacency, this acknowledgment should strengthen our resolve to preserve and expand the clinical and scientific research capacity and expertise needed to address the infectious disease priorities that matter most in South Africa, across the continent and globally."
Three additional subjects were placed among the world's top 100:
Infectious diseases (14th)
Public, environmental and occupational health (48th)
Immunology (69th)
Microbiology (75th)
A further seven subject areas were ranked in the global top 200:
Clinical medicine (104th)
Social sciences and public health (116th)
Ecology (122nd)
Cardiac and cardiovascular systems (129th)
Neuroscience and behaviour (131st)
Environment/ecology (148th)
Psychiatry/psychology (182nd)
These results highlight the depth and breadth of UCT's research strengths, particularly in health sciences, public health and environmental research - fields in which the university continues to make significant contributions to addressing complex local and global challenges.
The latest ranking adds to a growing body of international recognition for UCT's research excellence and impact, reflecting the work of its academic community and the university's commitment to advancing knowledge in service of society.
