African universities have begun to emerge as beacons of hope and success in the quest for sustainable development.
Succeeding in several SDGs demonstrates a university’s comprehensive commitment to sustainable development, in contrast to traditional measures that concentrate on individual accomplishments.
These institutions address a variety of concerns, including social justice, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and international cooperation, by incorporating research, teaching, and community outreach into their daily activities.
Additionally, African universities’ emphasis on SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is among their most effective SDG initiatives. Their influence is increased by cooperation with international organizations, governments, and non-profits.
As per the Times Higher Education, University Impact Rankings for 2024, several African countries rank high globally on level of impact they’ve had.
Times Higher Education notes that these universities have “demonstrated comprehensive excellence in contributing to global sustainable development,” and have become “recognised for their overarching impact across several dimensions of sustainable development.”
With that said, here are the African Universities with incredible results addressing sustainable development.
Top 10 most impactful African universities in 2024
| Rank | University | Overall index | Country | Global rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
University of Johannesburg |
93.0 |
South Africa |
36th |
|
2. |
University of Pretoria |
92.7 |
South Africa |
42nd |
|
3. |
University of Cape Town |
90.4 |
South Africa |
77th |
|
4. |
Afebabalola University |
84.0 – 89.1 |
Nigeria |
101st – 200th |
|
5. |
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology |
84.0 – 89.1 |
Ghana |
101st – 200th |
|
6. |
University of Tunis El Manar |
84.0 – 89.1 |
Tunisia |
101st – 200th |
|
7. |
Ain Shams University |
79.3 – 83.9 |
Egypt |
201st – 300th |
|
8. |
Mansoura University |
79.3 – 83.9 |
Egypt |
201st – 300th |
|
9. |
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg |
79.3 – 83.9 |
South Africa |
201st – 300th |
|
10. |
Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, Smart Village Campus |
75.8 – 79.2 |
Egypt |
301st – 400th |
