The best universities in Africa span 10 countries. From Uganda in the east to Nigeria in the west, Morocco in the north to South Africa in the south of the continent. Africa is a continent of thousands of languages and cultures, unparalleled eco-diversity, and over a billion vibrant and innovative Africans. You become a better-informed global citizen when you study in Africa as an international student. Join us as we explore this great continent and x-ray the most reputable universities in Africa. This is according to the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2019.
1. University of Cape Town- Cape Town
UCT’s vision is to be an inclusive, research-intensive African university. One that addresses the challenges of our time with cutting-edge teaching, research and facilities. The university was founded in 1829 and is the oldest university in the country, second oldest in Africa. It is a multicultural, multinational community of academic and professional staff and students and sees around 7,200 student graduates yearly. Its researchers continue to help with the creation of African-based solutions to global problems. Problems including issues relating to climate change, urbanisation, safety and security, education and health, to name just a few. It has 100 plus societies and over 40 sports clubs on campus and is the first of Africa Most Reputable Universities.
2. The University of the Witwatersrand- Johannesburg
Commonly known as “Wits”, it acquired full status in 1922. Its location in Johannesburg means that Wits is close to the economic powerhouse of the whole African continent. Highly research-intensive, it has made a major contribution to healthcare and deep-level mining. It performs strongly in subatomic physics and other fields of fundamental science. Its famous alumni include Nelson Mandela, who studied law there and became President of South Africa. In 1993 he received the Nobel laureate for peace. Novelist Nadine Gordimer (Nobel Prize for Literature, 1991) also attended for a year. Aaron Klug (Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 1982) and Sydney Brenner (Nobel Prize for Medicine, 2002) studied at Wits. Through the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, the medical school trains more specialists than any other university in southern Africa. Wits Disability Unit ensures higher education is accessible to disabled students, caregivers and others in need of special provisions.
3. Stellenbosch University- Stellenbosch
The university town maintains Dutch colonial architecture and streets host an array of cafes, boutiques and galleries. Among the university’s many achievements, it designed Africa’s first microsatellite in 1999. Students can write assignments and exams in both English and Afrikaans In addition to an extensive library system, the university has a conservatory with two concert halls, home of the oldest South African choir. SU is rooted in Africa and global in its reach. In 2018, it launched its Vision 2040, as well as a strategic framework that serves to cultivate a thriving Stellenbosch University. To provide a transformative student experience, to foster purposeful partnerships and inclusive networks, to promote networked and collaborative teaching and learning. To conduct research for impact, and to position SU as an employer of choice.
4. The University of KwaZulu-Natal- Durban
A teaching and research-led university, UKZN maintains innovative curricula, dynamic teaching and learning, with state-of-the-art laboratories and accredited professional degrees. Research activities span the natural, biomedical, humanities and social sciences tackling pressing challenges like AIDS, food security and high-tech developments. Its vision is to be the Premier University of African Scholarship. It is a truly South African University that is academically excellent, innovative in research, critically engaged with society and demographically representative. It seeks to redress the disadvantages, inequities and imbalances of the past. UKZN was formed on 1 January 2004 with the merger of the established University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal.
5. Makerere University- Kampala
MUK is the largest university in Uganda and was established as a technical school in 1922. Many East African political figures have attended MUK, including presidents of Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya. John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, was also one of its students. The university prides itself on the work it does towards securing gender equality. It has an initiative called the Female Scholarship Foundation, which helps women from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education. This has achieved global recognition, from the Government of Sweden, among others. Sporting facilities, recreational activities and student welfare services are also in plentiful supply on campus.
6. American University in Cairo- Cairo
Founded in 1919, AUC is Egypt’s global University and is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education. It is also the centre of the intellectual, social and cultural life of the Arab world. The university stands as a crossroads for the world’s cultures. It provides a vibrant forum for reasoned argument, spirited debate and understanding across the diversity of languages, facilities and human experiences. AUC engages in groundbreaking research like making Pharaonic discoveries and designing unique architecture for individuals with autism. It also uses nanotechnology for the conversion of solar energy to electricity or clean, renewable fuels and utilizing robotics for reliable, low-cost hepatitis C diagnostics. Its alumni include the Queen of Jordan, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, etc.
7. Benha University- Banha
Benha University is a public university in the northern Egyptian city of Benha (also spelt Banha). Founded in 1976 as a branch of Zagazig University, it became an independent entity in 2005. The university runs three hospitals and 146 scientific departments. The country’s most northerly pyramid was discovered near Benha by French emperor Napoleon’s Egyptian expedition in the late 18th Century. Benha university has 15 faculties, including medicine; veterinary science; arts and law. Benha’s agricultural faculty is one of the oldest in Egypt, having been originally founded as a secondary school in 1911. Benha is the 7th of the Africa Most Reputable Universities.
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