The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has reinforced its status as a leading academic institution after emerging number one in South Africa for Computer Science, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Business and Economics in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject.
The latest rankings place UJ at the forefront of disciplines critical to innovation, technology advancement, industrial development, and economic growth. Beyond securing four top national positions, the university also ranked second in South Africa in Education Studies, Law, Social Sciences, and Psychology, highlighting the breadth and depth of its academic excellence.
Reacting to the achievement, UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, said the results validate the university’s long-term strategic direction. He noted that UJ’s consistent high performance in Business and Economics, Engineering, Computer Science, and Physical Sciences reflects deliberate institutional choices, sustained investment in academic talent and research infrastructure, and programmes aligned with South Africa’s and Africa’s development priorities. According to him, the outcomes directly support UJ’s Strategic Plan 2035, which prioritises excellence in education, impactful research, and purposeful collaboration.
The 2026 THE rankings show that UJ was assessed in all 11 subject areas, recording notable improvements both nationally and globally. Internationally, the university advanced in seven subjects and maintained its position in three others, signalling continued growth in research output, teaching quality, and international engagement. Computer Science recorded strong progress, moving up two bands to the 251–300 range globally, while Social Sciences climbed to the 151–175 band.
Education Studies and Law now stand among UJ’s strongest global performers, both ranked in the 126–150 band worldwide. Business and Economics and Social Sciences are also positioned within the world’s top 200 subjects.
On the national front, UJ improved its rankings in three disciplines in 2026, including Law and Social Sciences, both of which rose to second place in South Africa. These gains reflect the university’s sustained investment in high-impact research, future-oriented curricula, and strong postgraduate development pipelines.
The THE subject rankings are based on 18 performance indicators covering teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook. Engineering assessments span fields such as electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, and aerospace engineering, while Computer Science evaluations cover areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, cybersecurity, and information systems.
Professor Sehaam Khan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic, attributed the success to a strengthened academic core. She explained that UJ has focused on enhancing quality across the student lifecycle, from curriculum renewal and digitally enabled teaching to improved postgraduate supervision and globally competitive research outputs.
Professor Mpedi concluded that the results demonstrate UJ’s ability to integrate research-led teaching with real-world impact, ensuring students are exposed to cutting-edge developments while contributing meaningfully to local and global challenges. He added that through sustained investment, strategic alignment, and academic leadership, UJ continues to consolidate its position as one of South Africa’s most influential universities and an increasingly prominent player on the global higher education stage.
