Wits named Africa’s top university and placed in global top 1% in CWUR rankings

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has been named the highest-ranked university in Africa in the 2026 Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), and was placed 200th globally out of 21,291 universities assessed, putting it in the top 1% worldwide.

What the CWUR measured

The CWUR assessment uses measurable indicators across four areas: education, employability, faculty excellence and research performance, rather than relying primarily on surveys or self-reported data.

Wits highlights in the ranking

Wits noted strong results in specific CWUR measures. The university achieved an Employability Rank of 97 globally and a Faculty Rank of 87, signalling demand for graduates and strength in its academic and research community.

University response

Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal Zeblon Vilakazi said the ranking reflects collective effort.

“This ranking is important because it uses objective data to rank universities on education, research, faculty and the employability of graduates,” Vilakazi said.

Significance for South African higher education

The CWUR result was described as a notable achievement for South African higher education, at a time when institutions across the continent are expanding research output and international influence.

Other recent rankings

The article noted that in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, Wits had been placed in the 201–300 range, and that the University of Cape Town (UCT) ranked as South Africa’s top institution and had entered the world’s top 200.