The latest Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Rankings 2026 show just how far some African universities have come. African universities: UCT still sets the paceThe University of Cape Town sits at the very top, making it Africa’s highest-ranked university in 2026. The Stellenbosch University, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the University of Johannesburg all have strong scores, particularly in research and industry engagement. Egypt features heavily in the top 15, with institutions such as Ain Shams University, Cairo University, and Alexandria University showing depth in research output and academic scale. Top 15 universities in Africa — THE Africa Rankings 2026Africa Rank WUR Rank University Overall Score 1 =164 University of Cape Town 60.8 =2 301–350 Stellenbosch University 51.6–54.2 =2 301–350 University of the Witwatersrand 51.6–54.2 =4 351–400 Mohammed VI Polytechnic University 49.9–51.5 =4 351–400 University of Johannesburg 49.9–51.5 =6 501–600 University of KwaZulu-Natal 43.6–46.1 =6 501–600 University of Pretoria 43.6–46.1 =8 601–800 American University in Cairo 39.0–43.5 =8 601–800 Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology 39.0–43.5 =8 601–800 Kafrelsheikh University 39.0–43.5 =8 601–800 University of the Western Cape 39.0–43.5 =12 801–1000 Ain Shams University 35.5–38.9 =12 801–1000 Al-Azhar University 35.5–38.9 =12 801–1000 Alexandria University 35.5–38.9 =12 801–1000 Cairo University 35.5–38.9Source: Times Higher Education Africa Rankings 2026