UKZN ranked SA’s top Young University

THE University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has been listed No 1 in South Africa and 61st out of the 475 universities world-wide on the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings.

A total of 68 countries/regions featured in the 2021 rankings, which list the world’s best universities that are 50 years old and younger.

UKZN, which ranked ahead of the Durban University of Technology, North-West University, the University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology, is the only South African university to feature in the top 100 – and has improved on its 2020 position of 71st.

Key performance areas assessed are teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. UKZN received high scores in the areas of teaching and research, and also performed well in the international outlook indicator.

Commenting on the excellent achievement, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at UKZN, Professor Mosa Moshabela highlighted the importance of the merger between the former universities of Natal (19492003) and Durban-Westville (1972-2003), which produced the “differently positioned” and successful “young” University of KwaZulu-Natal on January 1, 2004.

“It gives me great comfort to know that UKZN is doing well from a global perspective, and that staff and students are persisting with ongoing collective efforts to grow the university both in stature and impact. On behalf of the university, I thank THE sincerely for their continued efforts,” he said.

Top of the THE Young University rankings this year is Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, a first-time achievement for the institution. Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris ranked second, up from third last year. The United Kingdom has the highest number of universities in the rankings, with 37 institutions listed; followed by India with 34 and Spain with 33.

THE Young University Rankings applies the same methodology as the flagship World University Rankings to assess research-intensive universities across all their core missions.

THE is the leading provider of higher education data for the world’s research-led institutions.

For more information, visit https://www. timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2021/young-university-rankings.