UG 7th best in Africa, best in W/A

The University of Ghana is seventh best in Africa, according the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings announced Africa’s best Universities in the recently published World University Rankings.

A statement issued by the University’s Director of Public Affairs, Stella A. Amoa, on Thursday 21, said: “University of Ghana is now at the 7th position in the whole of Africa, making Ghana’s premier University the topmost University in the West African sub-region, and indeed at the national level”.

University of Cape Town, once again hit the top position, while Uganda’s Makerere University is the only institution outside South Africa to make the list of top five at fourth place.

THE World University Rankings is being published ahead of THE’s second Africa Universities Summit, which will be held at the University of Ghana from 27 to 29 April 2016 on the theme: Globalisation and Policy Directions for African Higher Education.

Nico Cloete, director of the Centre for Higher Education Trust and coordinator of the Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network in Africa, said that four institutions in the list: Cape Town, Makerere, Nairobi and Ghana, have “adopted strategies to become research-led flagship universities in their country and seen significant increases in doctoral graduates and research outputs during the last five years”.

Phil Baty, THE Rankings editor, said: “This snapshot ranking is based on the same criteria as the World University Rankings but we are keen to develop a bespoke range of metrics, following a public consultation, for a full Africa University Ranking”.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Ernest Aryeetey said: “Our investments in research are beginning to pay off. Our reforms have been extremely beneficial. I am grateful to all the hardworking researchers and others who have made our consistent rise possible”.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, are generated from five pillars, each of which represents a key area of higher education excellence – teaching (the learning environment), research (volume, income and reputation), citations (research influence), industry income (knowledge transfer), and international outlook (staff, students and research). The Africa ranking applies the same performance indicators as the overall THE World University Rankings.

“To be included in the Africa ranking is indeed a significant achievement and all who have played a part should bask in the glory of this success,” the statement said.

By-cllassfm