UJ Acknowledged as Leading South African University for Science, Engineering, and Hospitality

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) continues to solidify its position as a beacon of academic excellence, securing its status as one of South Africa’s leading institutions. The latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject, released on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, highlight UJ’s remarkable achievements in academia.

In a rigorous evaluation encompassing over 95 countries and territories, QS scrutinised more than 16,000 programmes across 1,500 universities spanning 55 academic disciplines. UJ garnered recognition in 17 top QS subjects, marking an increase from the previous year.

Noteworthy among UJ’s achievements is its stellar performance in Anthropology and Development Studies, where it is ranked in the 101-150 band globally. Moreover, on a national scale, UJ shares the pinnacle spot for Materials Science and secures the second position in South Africa for Anthropology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Education, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, as well as Hospitality and Leisure Management.

This recent accolade follows UJ’s outstanding performance in the 2023 Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS), where the University claimed the top position in South Africa for eight subjects. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, UJ has been recognised as the leading producer of accredited research outputs in South Africa, as affirmed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)’s sector Report on the Evaluation of the 2022 Universities’ Research Outputs.

UJ’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Professor Sehaam Khan, extended her appreciation to the University’s faculty and students for their unwavering dedication, which has culminated in these remarkable achievements.

“The University’s performance in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the University staff and students,” said Prof Khan. “I applaud all involved and would like to encourage us all to continue with raising UJ’s profile.”

Summary of UJ’s 2024 performance in the QS World University Rankings by Subject:

• Anthropology is ranked in the 101-150 band in 2024
• Development Studies is ranked in the 101-130 band in 2024, after having been ranked in the 51-100 band in 2023
• Hospitality & Leisure Management is ranked in the 151-160 band in 2024, after having been ranked in the 101-150 band in 2023
• Agriculture & Forestry is ranked in the 301-350 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023
• Education is ranked in the 301-350 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Chemical Engineering is ranked in the 301-350 band in 2024. It was ranked in the 351-400 band in 2023.
• Environmental Sciences is ranked in the 351-400 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Material Sciences is ranked in the 351-400 band in 2024
• Economics & Econometrics is ranked in the 401-450 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering is ranked in the 401-450 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering is ranked in the 401-450 band in 2024. It was ranked in the 451-500 band in 2023.
• Chemistry is ranked in the 451-500 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Mathematics is ranked in the 501-550 band in 2024.
• Medicine is ranked in the 501-550 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Physics & Astronomy is ranked in the 501-550 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.
• Business & Management Studies is ranked in the 551-600 band in 2024.04.
• Biological Sciences is ranked in the 601-650 band in 2024. It has remained in the same band from 2023.

UJ’s pursuit of academic excellence, coupled with its commitment to innovation, positions it as a trailblazer in South African tertiary education. As UJ continues to scale new heights, it remains indebted to the loyal support of its stakeholders, whose contributions have been instrumental in shaping its success.