The University of Cape Town (UCT) has been ranked 55th by Times Higher Education (THE) in their latest list of the most international universities in the world 2022. This position is tied with Carnegie Mellon and Princeton in the US.
These institutions collaborate on research across the world, have a strong reputation globally and have a high proportion of international students and staff, according to THE.
“UCT research collaboration stretches across the continent and the globe, and our students and staff are internationally diverse,” says Professor Sue Harrison, UCT deputy vice-chancellor for research and internationalisation. “We value our internationalisation and its many facets – more than can be encompassed in a single measurement.
“We also recognise that in our current context – more than ever – these international connections and the shared knowledge and collaboration that they enable will help to ensure that, as a society, we address and resolve the most complex challenges of our time.”
UCT is the only African university on the list. It joins the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) in first place and ETH Zurich (Switzerland) in second place. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong) tied third.
THE uses some of the information it collects for its World University Rankings to produce its list of the most international universities. It takes into account four measures that are weighted equally: a university’s proportions of international students, international staff and journal publications with at least one international co-author, and its international reputation.
Only those institutions that received 100 votes or more in the international reputation survey and at least 50 votes or 10% of the available domestic votes are eligible for inclusion on the list.
World university rankings
In early September 2021, UCT tied at 183rd position, along with the University of Notre Dame (US), in the THE World University Rankings 2022. In the THE subject rankings released thereafter, UCT ranked in the top 100 globally in clinical & health. Three additional subjects – social sciences, education and law – were well ranked and placed in the 126-150 band.