10 May 2013
South Africa’s University of Cape Town was ranked in the top 100 of universities around the world for eight of its subject areas, according to the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, released on Wednesday.
It ranked 32 for education and training, and was also included in the top 100 for earth and marine sciences, politics, psychology, law and legal studies, history and archaeology, geography and English language and literature.
“Regarded as one of Africa’s leading universities, UCT’s consistent performance in world ranking systems speaks to the university’s commitment to quality research as well as first-rate higher education,” UCT said in a statement.
The latest QS World University Ranking by subject is the third edition of the study and evaluated 2 858 universities around the world, ranking 678 of these.
Nineteen of UCT’S subjects were included in the 30-subject ranking, with agriculture, civil engineering and politics being rated for the first time.
“The methodology of the QS survey relies heavily on a global survey of what academics and employers think of a particular university,” said UCT’s deputy vice chancellor, Danie Visser.
“It is most pleasing that UCT has registered sufficiently internationally to be placed in the top 100 in no fewer than eight areas and in the top 200 in 19 different areas.”
QS Surveys also look at citations per faculty, staff-student ratio and the degree of internationalisation by the proportion of international students and faculty.
“Since UCT’s research impact is above the world average in many areas and because we have a very good proportion of international students, these indicators would tend to boost our scores,” Visser said.
SAinfo reporter
