Times Higher Education (THE), a British magazine focused on reporting news and issues related to higher education, has released the list of the top 10 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa for the 2024 academic year.
In a blog post sighted by GhanaEducation.org, the magazine stated that the rankings assess universities based on their teaching, research, and impact. Now in its second year, the methodology has been updated to enable better comparison of universities.
The metrics, according to Times Higher Education, are grouped into five pillars: resources and finance; access and fairness; student engagement; ethical leadership (which is new); and African impact.
Times Higher Education (THE) indicated that Ghana has the second-highest overall score, with an average of 57 based on 11 institutions. Ghana has two universities in the top 10, up from one last year:
“The University of Ghana has risen from 17th to 5th place, and Ashesi University has maintained its position at number nine.
Ghanaian universities are strong in ethical leadership, achieving the highest average score for this pillar among countries with at least 10 ranked institutions,” the British education-focused magazine said in the blog post.
Top 10 Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa
South African universities claimed the top three spots in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria, and the University of the Witwatersrand placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively.
In the top 10 league table, Rwanda placed 4th and 6th with UGHE (University of Global Health Equity) and the University of Rwanda.
Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, and Ashesi University placed 5th and 9th, respectively. Interestingly, no university from Nigeria made it to the top 10 list.
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| Rank | University | Country/region |
| 1 | University of Johannesburg | South Africa |
| 2 | University of Pretoria | South Africa |
| 3 | University of the Witwatersrand | South Africa |
| 4 | UGHE – University of Global Health Equity | Rwanda |
| 5 | University of Ghana | Ghana |
| 6 | University of Rwanda | Rwanda |
| 7 | SIMAD University | Somalia |
| 8 | Makerere University | Uganda |
| 9 | Ashesi University | Ghana |
| 10 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa |
The SIMAD University, Makerere University, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, from Somalia and South Africa, secured the 7th, 8th, and 10th positions, respectively.