Africa's universities take eight top-100 spots in latest global rankings

7th Mar 2018 | Source: SubjectRankings18

African universities have increased their share of top-50 and top-100 university departments in one of the world's most extensive rankings of subject-specific institutional performance, it has emerged. The eighth edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, released today by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds, enumerates the globe's top universities for the study of 48 different subjects. The tables were accessed by over 30 million students, parents, policymakers, and study & career advisors in 2017.

The continent's leading university department is the University of Cape Town's Development Studies, which now ranks 11^th in the world (a drop of one place). It is joined in the top 20 by the University of the Witwatersrand, which has risen to 15^th for Mining Engineering and dropped one place for Development Studies (now 19^th).

Key Observations

The continent?s strength remains Development Studies: it is home to nine of the world's top 100 universities in the discipline;

However, it also possesses globally-competitive departments for the study of Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies, with four institutions in the top 100;

The only other subjects for which the continent is home to more than one of the world's top 100 departments are Agriculture and Forestry, Anthropology, and Archaeology (two top-100 institutions each);

The continent's leading institutions remain the University of Cape Town (11 top-50 departments) and the University of the Witwatersrand (4 top-50 departments) symptomatic of the intense concentration of continental excellence in South Africa (22 of Africa?s 27 top-100 placements);

In three of the four metrics used by QS to compile the rankings (Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Citations per Faculty, and H-Index), the average score of African institutions drops marginally. Only in Employer Reputation does the average score improve (from 60.52 to 63.35);

QS rank 139 departments at 17 African universities. 24 departments drop rank, while 26 improve rank;

African institutions take 27 top-100 places ? two more than in 2017.

Around the continent:

Nigeria has one ranked university. The University of Ibadan places in the 401-450 category for Medicine, rising from the 451-500 band;

Uganda's Makerere University is ranked for three subjects. It places 50^th in the world for Development Studies, in the 251-300 category for Agriculture & Forestry, and in the 351-400 group for Medicine;

Tanzanian higher education is newly-represented in this year's rankings. The University of Dar es Salaam places in the 51-100 category for Development Studies, its first-ever appearance in the QS World University Rankings by Subject;

The University of Ghana remains in the 51-100 group for Development Studies.

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018: African Top-50 Departments
Subject	2017	2018	Institution
Development Studies	10	11	University of Cape Town
Engineering - Mineral & Mining	22=	15	University of The Witwatersrand
Development Studies	18=	19	University of The Witwatersrand
Sports-related Subjects	51-100	37=	University of Cape Town
Archaeology	51-100	38	University of The Witwatersrand
Development Studies	42=	44	Stellenbosch University
Geography	47	49=	University of Cape Town
Development Studies	36	50	Makerere University
QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2018 http://www.TopUniversities.com/

Global Highlights

Harvard University is again the dominant institution, ranking number-one for 14 subjects. It thus extends its lead over Massachusetts Institute of Technology (12 number-one departments);

The only other institution to take more than one number-one position is the University of Oxford, which remains top for four subjects;

In total, Asian institutions rank in the top 10 thirty times. Singapore is the most successful Asian nation, with 12 top-10 positions;

QS have added two new subject rankings to the portfolio this year: Classics and Ancient History and Library & Information Management.

Table 3: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018: Most Top-10 Ranks (Global)

Institution

Country

Number of Top-10 Places

University of Cambridge

United Kingdom

University of Oxford

United Kingdom

University of California, Berkeley

United States

Harvard University

United States

Stanford University

United States

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

United States

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

United States

London School of Economics (LSE)

United Kingdom

National University of Singapore

Singapore

Yale University

United States

? QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2018 http://www.TopUniversities.com/

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018

www.topuniversities.com

Discover which universities around the world are the best for 48 different subjects with the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018.

Ben Sowter, Research Director at QS, said: 'There is evidence that the continent's top institutions are improving graduate outcomes, with employers expressing increasing regard for their alumni. However, this year's QS World University Rankings by Subject also illustrates the struggles that African universities are facing in attempting to improve their global research impact. The field of Development Studies remains one notable exception, with the University of Cape Town's department actually managing a score of above 90/100 for our research indicator.

QS have also released their QS World University Rankings by Faculty. These rankings assess university performance across five broad groups of subjects: Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management.

Bibliometric data is provided by Scopus/Elsevier, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature. The full QS World University Rankings by Subject tables can be found here. The full methodology can be found here.

African Universities in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018
2017	2018	Delta	Institution	Country	Subject
160=	126=	34	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
270=	216=	54	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
325=	264=	61	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
337=	272=	65	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
391=	364=	27	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
451-500	401-450	1	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Arts & Humanities
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Anthropology
51-100	51-100	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Anthropology
51-100	38	13	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Archaeology
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Archaeology
151-200	151-200	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Archaeology
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Architecture / Built Environment
151-200	151-200	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Architecture / Built Environment
	151-200		University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Architecture / Built Environment
151-200	151-200	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Art & Design
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	English Language & Literature
101-150	151-200	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	English Language & Literature
201-250	201-250	0	Rhodes University	South Africa	English Language & Literature
201-250	201-250	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	English Language & Literature
	251-300		University of Johannesburg	South Africa	English Language & Literature
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	History
201-250	151-200	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Linguistics
251-300	251-300	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Linguistics
	251-300		University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Linguistics
251-300	251-300	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Modern Languages
51-100	51-100	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies
	51-100		University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies
51-100	51-100	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies
358=	298=	60	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Engineering & Technology
451-500	375=	34	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Engineering & Technology
	401-450		Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Engineering & Technology
	451-500		University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Engineering & Technology
351-400	301-350	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Computer Science & Information Systems
	401-450		Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Computer Science & Information Systems
401-450	401-450	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Computer Science & Information Systems
251-300	201-250	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Engineering ? Chemical
	251-300		Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Engineering ? Chemical
251-300	251-300	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Engineering ? Chemical
251-300	251-300	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Engineering ? Chemical
151-200	151-200	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Engineering - Civil & Structural
301-350	251-300	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Engineering - Electrical & Electronic
301-350	301-350	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Engineering - Electrical & Electronic
251-300	201-250	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Engineering - Mechanical
301-350	251-300	1	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Engineering ? Mechanical
	351-400		Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Engineering ? Mechanical
22=	15	7	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Engineering - Mineral & Mining
105=	88	17	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Life Sciences & Medicine
247	203	44	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Life Sciences & Medicine
307=	236=	71	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Life Sciences & Medicine
383=	348=	35	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Life Sciences & Medicine
389=	376=	13	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Life Sciences & Medicine
451-500	451-500	0	Makerere University	Uganda	Life Sciences & Medicine
51-100	51-100	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Agriculture & Forestry
101-150	51-100	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Agriculture & Forestry
101-150	101-150	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Agriculture & Forestry
151-200	201-250	-1	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Agriculture & Forestry
251-300	251-300	0	Makerere University	Uganda	Agriculture & Forestry
201-250	251-300	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Agriculture & Forestry
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Anatomy & Physiology
201-250	151-200	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Biological Sciences
251-300	301-350	-1	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Biological Sciences
301-350	351-400	-1	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Biological Sciences
351-400	351-400	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Biological Sciences
401-450	451-500	-1	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Biological Sciences
151-200	151-200	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Pharmacy & Pharmacology
201-250	251-300	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Pharmacy & Pharmacology
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Medicine
151-200	151-200	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Medicine
301-350	251-300	1	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Medicine
351-400	351-400	0	Makerere University	Uganda	Medicine
301-350	351-400	-1	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Medicine
301-350	351-400	-1	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Medicine
451-500	401-450	1	University of Ibadan	Nigeria	Medicine
221=	191=	30	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Natural Sciences
329=	278=	51	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Natural Sciences
451-500	393=	16	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Natural Sciences
401-450	396=	12	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Natural Sciences
451-500	451-500	0	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Natural Sciences
351-400	301-350	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Chemistry
401-450	351-400	1	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Chemistry
351-400	401-450	-1	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Chemistry
401-450	401-450	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Chemistry
	451-500		University of Pretoria	South Africa	Chemistry
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Earth & Marine Sciences
151-200	101-150	1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Earth & Marine Sciences
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Environmental Sciences
251-300	251-300	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Environmental Sciences
47	49=	-2	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Geography
101-150	101-150	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Geography
151-200	151-200	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Geography
151-200	151-200	0	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Geography
351-400	351-400	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Mathematics
174=	110=	64	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
318=	218=	100	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
342=	255	87	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
363=	259=	104	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
451-500	401-450	1	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
	451-500		University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Social Sciences & Management
	151-200		University of Cape Town	South Africa	Accounting & Finance
201-250	151-200	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Business & Management Studies
251-300	251-300	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Business & Management Studies
151-200	101-150	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Communication & Media Studies
151-200	151-200	0	Rhodes University	South Africa	Communication & Media Studies
51-100	101-150	-1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Education
201-250	201-250	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Education
201-250	201-250	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Education
201-250	251-300	-1	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Education
251-300	251-300	0	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Education
251-300	251-300	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Economics & Econometrics
251-300	301-350	-1	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Economics & Econometrics
301-350	351-400	-1	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Economics & Econometrics
10	11	-1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Development Studies
18=	19	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Development Studies
42=	44	-2	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Development Studies
36	50	-14	Makerere University	Uganda	Development Studies
	51-100		University of Dar es Salaam	Tanzania	Development Studies
51-100	51-100	0	University of Ghana	Ghana	Development Studies
51-100	51-100	0	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Development Studies
51-100	51-100	0	University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Development Studies
51-100	51-100	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Law
151-200	151-200	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Law
101-150	151-200	-1	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Law
101-150	151-200	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Law
201-250	251-300	-1	University of Johannesburg	South Africa	Law
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Politics & International Studies
101-150	151-200	-1	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Politics & International Studies
151-200	151-200	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Psychology
	51-100		University of Cape Town	South Africa	Social Policy & Administration
101-150	101-150	0	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Sociology
201-250	201-250	0	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Sociology
251-300	251-300	0	University of Pretoria	South Africa	Sociology
51-100	37=	14	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Sports-related Subjects
201-250	151-200	1	University of Cape Town	South Africa	Physics & Astronomy
451-500	451-500	0	Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Physics & Astronomy
	451-500		University of Kwazulu-Natal	South Africa	Physics & Astronomy
351-400	451-500	-2	University of The Witwatersrand	South Africa	Physics & Astronomy