The University of Cape Town has once again claimed the top spot in the Webometrics mid-year update of global university rankings for 2023, solidifying its position as South Africa’s premier university.
These rankings are determined by evaluating the quality, quantity, and accessibility of web content produced by universities.
The Webometrics ranking system was developed by Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, the largest public research organization in Spain.
According to Webometrics, their goal is to encourage web publication and support initiatives like Open Access to academic materials.
Their ranking system focuses on various aspects, including the global performance and visibility of universities, rather than mere page design or website visit counts.
It’s essential to note that these rankings consider both research achievements (bibliometric metrics) and other university missions (webometric metrics), along with university websites.
Here are the top three universities in South Africa based on these rankings:
- University of Cape Town: UCT has secured the first position in South Africa and has improved its overall global ranking from 247th to 237th place.
- University of the Witwatersrand: This university takes the second spot in South Africa, moving up from 398th to 392nd place globally.
- University of Pretoria and Stellenbosch University: These universities are ranked 437th and 441st, respectively, among the top 500 universities globally. They have moved up from 438th and 450th positions.
In total, South Africa boasts eight universities in the top 1000 worldwide according to Webometrics.