Who tops Africa’s university rankings in 2026?
Here are Africa’s top universities in 2026, according to Times Higher Education, with South African institutions dominating the rankings.
Many African universities continue to make steady gains on the global stage, with institutions across the continent improving their performance.
The latest Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Rankings 2026 show just how far some African universities have come.
The rankings assess more than 150 universities across the continent, measuring everything from teaching standards and research output to international partnerships and links with industry.
Once again, South Africa dominates the top end of the table, but universities in North Africa continue to make their presence felt, especially in Egypt and Morocco.
How the African universities’ rankings work (in plain terms)
Times Higher Education uses a data-heavy methodology, but the idea is simple: which universities are actually delivering?
Institutions are scored across key areas such as:
- teaching and learning environment
- research strength and impact
- collaboration with industry
- international outlook
According to Times Higher Education, the rankings are widely used by students, academics, university leaders and policymakers to judge where quality higher education is really happening.
African universities: UCT still sets the pace
The University of Cape Town sits at the very top, making it Africa’s highest-ranked university in 2026.
UCT’s strength lies mainly in research quality, industry income and its international reach, areas where it continues to outperform its continental peers.
According to the rankings, South Africa then fills much of the top 10.
The Stellenbosch University, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the University of Johannesburg all have strong scores, particularly in research and industry engagement.
North Africa keeps closing the gap
While South Africa leads, universities in Morocco and Egypt are narrowing the distance.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University stands out as Morocco’s top performer, earning high marks for research quality and international collaboration.
Egypt features heavily in the top 15, with institutions such as Ain Shams University, Cairo University, and Alexandria University showing depth in research output and academic scale.
Top 15 universities in Africa — THE Africa Rankings 2026
| Africa Rank | WUR Rank | University | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | =164 | University of Cape Town | 60.8 |
| =2 | 301–350 | Stellenbosch University | 51.6–54.2 |
| =2 | 301–350 | University of the Witwatersrand | 51.6–54.2 |
| =4 | 351–400 | Mohammed VI Polytechnic University | 49.9–51.5 |
| =4 | 351–400 | University of Johannesburg | 49.9–51.5 |
| =6 | 501–600 | University of KwaZulu-Natal | 43.6–46.1 |
| =6 | 501–600 | University of Pretoria | 43.6–46.1 |
| =8 | 601–800 | American University in Cairo | 39.0–43.5 |
| =8 | 601–800 | Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology | 39.0–43.5 |
| =8 | 601–800 | Kafrelsheikh University | 39.0–43.5 |
| =8 | 601–800 | University of the Western Cape | 39.0–43.5 |
| =12 | 801–1000 | Ain Shams University | 35.5–38.9 |
| =12 | 801–1000 | Al-Azhar University | 35.5–38.9 |
| =12 | 801–1000 | Alexandria University | 35.5–38.9 |
| =12 | 801–1000 | Cairo University | 35.5–38.9 |
Source: Times Higher Education Africa Rankings 2026
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