The QS World University Rankings 2025 lists Unisa as one of the top 7 universities in SA

The QS World University Rankings has ranked Unisa as one of the top universities in South Africa. Unisa has risen from the 2024 rating to be ranked in the #851-900 band and the top seven universities in South Africa. This ranking cements Unisa as a globally sustainable and competitive university.

The 21st edition of the QS World University Rankings features 1,503 institutions across 104 locations and is the only ranking of its kind to emphasise employability and sustainability.

Published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British education consultancy business, the ranking is widely regarded as one of the world's most prominent university rankings evaluating institutions based on factors such as academic reputation, employment outcomes, international research network and citation per faculty, among other ranking criteria.

Compared to other universities in the country rated in the ranking, Unisa places seventh, enjoying the spot with the North-West University,  and ahead of Rhodes University (951-1000), the University of the Western Cape (951-1000) and the University of the Free State (1001-1200), respectively.

The university achieved significant rankings in the following subject fields:

Development Studies: 41 - 100

Education and Training: 351- 400

Materials Science: 351- 400

Physics and Astronomy: 551 - 600

Chemistry: 601- 650

A globally competitive university

The 2025 QS World University Rankings, among other recent rankings and endorsements by reputable bodies in the higher education landscape, reflect Professor Puleng LenkaBula's vision to reposition Unisa to reclaim its place at the top tier of tertiary education institutions in the continent and globally.

Marching up the ranks ladder to occupy the top seven universities demonstrates Unisa’s academic excellence and contribution to the global knowledge arena. This ranking further enhances Unisa’s reputation as an international higher education brand to be reckoned with.

Unisa remains on course towards fulfilling its mandate of becoming a comprehensive, open distance and eLearning (CODeL) institution that produces excellent scholarship and research while providing quality tuition and fostering active community engagement.

The university’s global contribution to the knowledge and information society advances development, nurtures a critical citizenry and ensures global sustainability. The evidence is in the 350,000 students enrolled annually, accommodating over a third of students in the country's higher education system and 90 per cent of the distance learning component.

As the university continues to gain international recognition and endorsements, Unisa commits to persist in strengthening its efforts to reclaim its place at the top tier of tertiary education institutions in South Africa – and on the continent.

* By Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Editor: Internal Communications, Department of Institutional Advancement