The list of the world’s best universities issued by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings has been completed by 25 new higher education institutions in African countries.
In addition, the five countries that entered the ranking for the first time are all in Africa (Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius).
Among the African universities, the University of Cape Town (South Africa) demonstrated the best performance. It rose by 23 spots, rising from 183rd place last year to 160th this year. It is the only African university that is part of the top 200.
In total, the new edition of the Times Higher Education list included 97 universities from 17 African countries, although in 2012 the world university ranking included only four universities from two African countries: Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Witwatersrand (all in South Africa), and Alexandria in Egypt.
Nigeria was particularly highlighted. Compared to last year, this West African country has doubled its presence in the ranking. It is now represented by 12 universities and ranks after South Africa, but ahead of Egypt.
According to the president of the National Commission of Universities of Nigeria, Peter Okebukola, the success of universities in Africa can be explained by a number of reasons.
They are strengthening their positions thanks to the increase in research and infrastructure funding, the elaboration of development plans by the institutions themselves, the media coverage of problems in the academic field, as well as international interuniversity exchanges.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, sometimes known as the THE Rankings (or just THE), is the Times Higher Education magazine's yearly release of university rankings.
Since 2004, the journal has offered performance information about universities to students, their families, academics, university administrators, governments, and business. The yearly report provides global university rankings, broken down by subject and reputation.