Stellenbosch University (SU) once again counts among the best universities in the world in the subject areas of Law, Medical and Health (formerly Clinical and Health), Education Studies (formerly Education), as well as Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences.

This is according to this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) by subject, released earlier this week, on Wednesday January 22.

According to the data, SU ranks among the world’s top 150 in Law, the top 175 in Education Studies, the top 200 in Medical and Health, and the top 300 in both Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences.

In Life Sciences, the university made it into the top 400, while achieving a top 500 spot in Psychology. In Education Studies, the university improved on its position from last year.

In the country, SU shares the first place in Agriculture and Forestry – one of the four core disciplines in Life Sciences – with the University of Johannesburg and the University of Pretoria. It occupies the second spot in Arts and Humanities, Medical and Health, Computer Science, Education Studies, Engineering, Law, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences.

Overall, the institution features among the top 300 universities in the world in five of the 11 subject categories on the THE WUR list. This year’s rankings include 1 143 institutions from 98 countries and territories, which have been assessed based on 18 rigorous performance indicators.

Commenting on the improvement in the Education Studies score, Professor Mbulungeni Madiba, Dean of the Faculty of Education at SU, said they are delighted with this achievement. “Moving from the top 200 to being among the top 175 universities globally in the subject area of Education Studies is a testament to the hard work, dedication and excellence of our faculty, students and staff.

“This achievement reflects our commitment to advancing educational research, fostering innovation in teaching, and addressing the evolving needs of education in a rapidly changing world. It also underscores the importance of the collaborative partnerships we have built locally and internationally.

“We are inspired by this recognition to continue striving for even greater impact, particularly as we contribute to shaping education in South Africa and beyond,” said Professor Madiba.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Nicola Smit, said they are pleased to again receive this recognition for the tireless efforts of their small but dedicated team. “It is truly remarkable what can be accomplished through sustained and focused efforts that prioritise excellence, community, and innovation.”

Professor Elmi Muller, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said they are thrilled to be recognised in the latest THE World University Rankings.

“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to advancing education, research, and innovation in healthcare, with a focus on addressing the unique challenges faced by the South African population.

“These rankings reaffirm the importance of fostering international collaboration and upholding the highest standards of academic excellence. They also emphasise the critical role of medical education and research in tackling global health challenges. We are honoured to be part of a global academic community working together to enhance health outcomes worldwide.”

The subject tables employ the same range of 18 performance indicators used in the overall THE World University Rankings 2025.

These are then combined to provide scores under the five categories of teaching (teaching reputation, student-to-staff ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor ratio, doctorate-to-staff ratio and institutional income), research environment (research reputation, income, and productivity), research quality (citation impact, research strength, research excellence, and influence), international outlook (international staff, students, and co-authorship), and industry (income from industry partnerships and patents).

Each subject’s ranking methodology is recalibrated to reflect unique academic cultures, with the weightings changed to suit the individual fields.

For a complete look at the 2025 global rankings, visit https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/by-subject

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