40 Top Universities in the World, Africa, Zambia, EAC,Rwanda

The World’s Top 40 Universities according to QS World University Rankings

You want to study in one of the top Universities Worldwide in Africa or regionally? Here is a guide, in this article. With the help of different world ranking, including QS World University Rankings and Global Universities Rankings, we shall list the best universities in reputation. For the global ranking, in this year, a total of 1,029 universities, by QS and 1,750 by Global Universities Rankings, were taken into consideration. You can click to follow the links to find out more about the criteria used to classify these universities

The main indicators used in this ranking amounted to 13 and are meant to measure their academic research performance and their global and regional reputations. Read the methodology »

Let us start with the best 40 top Universities in the World according to the QS World University Rankings 2022

top universities in the world, africa, zambia and rwanda
Top universities in the World, Africa, Zambia and Rwanda

Top 40 Universities in the World According to the QS World University Rankings 2022 

Rank  University  Location 
1Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)United States
2University of OxfordUnited Kingdom
=3Stanford UniversityUnited States
=3University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
5Harvard UniversityUnited States
6California Institute of Technology (Caltech)United States
7Imperial College LondonUnited Kingdom
=8ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)Switzerland
=8UCL (University College London)United Kingdom
10University of ChicagoUnited States
11National University of Singapore (NUS)Singapore
12Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU)Singapore
13University of PennsylvaniaUnited States
=14Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)Switzerland
=14Yale UniversityUnited States
16University of EdinburghUnited Kingdom
17Tsinghua UniversityMainland China
18Peking UniversityMainland China
19Columbia UniversityUnited States
20Princeton UniversityUnited States
21Cornell UniversityUnited States
22University of Hong Kong (UKU)Hong Kong SAR
=23University of TokyoJapan
=23University of Michigan-Ann ArborUnited States
25Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States
26University of TorontoCanada
=27McGill UniversityCanada
=27Australian National UniversityAustralia
=27University of ManchesterUnited Kingdom
30Northwestern UniversityUnited States
31Fudan UniversityMainland China
32University of California, Berkeley (UCB)United States
33Kyoto UniversityJapan
34Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)Hong Kong SAR
35King’s College LondonUnited Kingdom
36Seoul National UniversitySouth Korea
37University of MelbourneAustralia
38University of SydneyAustralia
39Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)Hong Kong SAR
40University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)United States

Top Universities in the World according to 2022 Best Global Universities Rankings

UniversityCountryWorld Rank
Harvard UniversityUnited States|Cambridge (U.S.)#1
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States|Cambridge (U.S.)#2
Stanford UniversityUnited States|Stanford#3
University of California–BerkeleyUnited States|Berkeley#4
University of OxfordUnited Kingdom|Oxford#5
Columbia UniversityUnited States|New York City#6
University of WashingtonUnited States|Seattle#7
University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom|Cambridge (U.K.)#8
California Institute of TechnologyUnited States|Pasadena#9
Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States|Baltimore#9
University of California–San FranciscoUnited States|San Francisco#11
Yale UniversityUnited States|New Haven#12
University of PennsylvaniaUnited States|Philadelphia#13
University of California–Los AngelesUnited States|Los Angeles#14
University of ChicagoUnited States|Chicago#15
Princeton UniversityUnited States|Princeton#16
University College LondonUnited Kingdom|London (U.K.)#16
University of TorontoCanada|Toronto#16
University of Michigan–Ann ArborUnited States|Ann Arbor#19
Imperial College LondonUnited Kingdom|London (U.K.)#20
University of California–San DiegoUnited States|La Jolla#21

40 TOP UNIVERSITIES IN AFRICA (Extracted from 2021 African University Ranking)

Here are the specific Criteria followed in this ranking:

  • being chartered, licensed and/or accredited by the appropriate higher education-related organization in each country
  • offering at least four-year undergraduate degrees (bachelor degrees) or postgraduate degrees (master or doctoral degrees)
  • delivering courses predominantly in a traditional, face-to-face, non-distance education format
top universities in africa
African To Universities
RankUniversityCountry
1University of Cape Town za
2University of Pretoria za
3University of the Witwatersrand za
4Universiteit Stellenbosch za
5University of Johannesburg za
6North-West University za
7The American University in Cairo eg
8University of KwaZulu-Natal za
9University of Nairobi ke
10Cairo University eg
11Rhodes University za
12University of Ghana gh
13University of the Western Cape za
14Addis Ababa University et
15Mansoura University eg
16Universidade Mandume Ya Ndemufayo ao
17University of the Free State za
18Makerere University ug
19Cape Peninsula University of Technology za
20Université Cadi Ayyad ma
21Nelson Mandela University za
22Université Mohammed V ma
23Kenyatta University ke
24University of Namibia na
25Tshwane University of Technology za
26University of Botswana bw
27Namibia University of Science and Technology na
28University of Zambia zm
29Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology gh
30Universidade Independente de Angola ao
31University of Dar es Salaam tz
32Alexandria University eg
33Ain Shams University eg
34Université de la Reunion re
35Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport eg
36Université Frères Mentouri de Constantine 1 dz
37Université Cheikh Anta Diop sn
38Universidade Eduardo Mondlane mz
39Universidade Agostinho Neto ao
40Durban University of Technology za

Top Universities in Africa – 2022 Best Global Universities 

Read the methodology followed in this ranking »

S/NUniversityCountryWorld RankAfrican Rank
1.University of Cape TownSouth Africa#109#1
2.University of WitwatersrandSouth Africa#212#2
3.Stellenbosch UniversitySouth Africa#317 
4.University of KwaZulu NatalSouth Africa#371#4
5.Cairo UniversityEgypt|Giza#392 
6.University of JohannesburgSouth Africa|Johannesburg#417#6
7.University of IbadanNigeria|Ibadan#425#7
8.University of PretoriaSouth Africa|Hatfied (South Africa)#434#8
9.Mansoura UniversityEgypt|Mansoura#477#9
10.North West University – South AfricaSouth Africa|Potchefstroom#510#10
11.Addis Ababa UniversityEthiopia|Addis Ababa#517 
12.Kwame Nkrumah University Science and TechnologyGhana|Kumasi#587 
13.Ain Shams UniversityEgypt|Cairo#619 
14.Mohammed First University of OujdaMorocco|Oujda#630 
15.Makerere UniversityUganda|Kampala#712#15
16.University of the Western CapeSouth Africa|Belville#729#16
17.Alexandria UniversityEgypt|Alexandria#738#17
18.University of Casablanca Hassan 2Morocco|Casablanca#779 
19.University of NairobiKenya|Nairobi#779 
20.University of GondarEthiopia|Gondar#790 
21.Assiut UniversityEgypt|Assiut#804 
22.University of South AfricaSouth Africa#851 
23.Rhodes UniversitySouth Africa|Grahamstown#855#23
24.Zagazig UniversityEgypt|Zagazig#884 
25.Fayoum UniversityEgypt|Al Fayoum#886 
26.Universite de Tunis-El-ManarTunisia|Tunis#899 
27.Kafrelsheikh UniversityEgypt|Kafr el-sheikh#914#27
28.Suez Canal UniversityEgypt|Ismailia#914#27
29.University of GhanaGhana|Legon#916#29
30.University of the Free StateSouth Africa|Bloemfontein#925 
31.Mohammed V University of RabatMorocco|Rabat#940#31
32.University of Yaounde ICameroon|Yaounde#940#31
33.Tshwane University of TechnologySouth Africa|Pretoria#954 
34.University of Marrakech Cadi AyyadMorocco|Marrakech#963 
35.Tanta UniversityEgypt|Tanta#983 
36.Al Azhar UniversityEgypt|Cairo#994 
37.Beni-Suef UniversityEgypt|Beni Suef#994 
38.Universite de SfaxTunisia|Sfax#1,024 
39.Benha UniversityEgypt|Benha#1,068#39
40.Helwan UniversityEgypt|Cairo#1,101 

40 Top Universities in Zambia – 2021 Ranking

Here are Zambian 40 top Universities , according to uniRank’s African University Rankings 2021.

RankUniversityTown
1University of ZambiaLusaka
2The Copperbelt UniversityKitwe …
3University of LusakaLusaka
4Information and Communication UniversityLusaka
5Mulungushi UniversityKabwe
6ZCAS UniversityLusaka
7Texila American University ZambiaLusaka …
8Cavendish University ZambiaLusaka
9Rusangu UniversityMonze …
10Lusaka Apex Medical UniversityLusaka
11Northrise UniversityNdola
12Africa Christian UniversityLusaka
13Kwame Nkrumah UniversityKabwe
14DMI-St. Eugene UniversityLusaka
15The Zambia Catholic UniversityKalulushi
16Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business ManagementLusaka
17Mukuba UniversityKitwe
18The United Church of Zambia UniversityKitwe
19Justo Mwale UniversityLusaka
20Supershine UniversityLusaka
21Trans-Africa Christian UniversityKitwe
22Gideon Robert UniversityLusaka …
23Chreso UniversityLusaka …
24Eden UniversityLusaka
25Evangelical UniversityNdola
26The University of BarotselandMongu
27Copperstone UniversityKitwe
28Blessing University of ExcellenceLusaka
29Rockview UniversityLusaka
30Africa Research UniversityLusaka
31Trinity University, ZambiaLusaka
32Zambian Christian UniversityChoma
33OAK UniversityLusaka
34South Valley UniversityChikankata
35Kenneth Kaunda Metropolitan UniversityLusaka
36Chalimbana UniversityLusaka …
37St. Bonaventure UniversityLusaka
38Sunningdale UniversityLusaka
39Twin Palm Leadership UniversityChikankata
40Mosa UniversityChibombo

22 TOP  UNIVERSITIES IN RWANDA

RankingWorld RankUniversityImpact Rank*Openness Rank*Excellence Rank*
12979University of Rwanda664438192838
213617Institut d’Enséignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri1190064926650
313989University of Global Health Equity1237664926650
416127Adventist University of Central Africa1501364926650
517032University of Kigali1610464926650
618589Université Libre de Kigali1791064926650
718662Kibogora Polytechnic1799164926650
818906University of Lay Adventists of Kigali1827664926650
919310University of Tourism Technology and Business Studies1873064926650
1020801Protestant Institute of Art and Social Science2039764926650
1123324Catholic University of Kabgayi2311464926650
1224349Institute of Legal Practice and Development2418964926650
1325234KIM University2512164926650
1426034University of Technology and Arts of Byumba2594864926650
1526034University of Kibungo2594864926650
1626375Catholic University of Rwanda2630664926650
1726699Christian University of Rwanda2665064926650
1826699East African University Rwanda2665064926650
1926921University of Gitwe2688064926650
2027531Rwanda Management Institute2749664926650
2127997Vatel Hotel and Tourism Business School in Kigali2796864926650
2229419Institut Polytechnique de Byumba2940464926650

TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES IN EAST AFRICA

This is a ranking established by Webometrics and the methodology used to rank these top universities, includes

Excellence rank– Considered the excellent publications i.e. the University publication on the scientific field. It should be notable that quality and not Quantity was used in the rank

Presence rank-The hosted a number of WebPages in the main domain including sub-domain was used to determine this ranking

Openness rank– In this indicator, the effort to start up institutional research is the methodology used. It takes into account the number of affluent files published to dedicated websites according to search engines

  • Strathmore University
  • National University of Rwanda
  • University of Nairobi
  • Kenyatta University
  • Ugandan Christian University
  • Pwani University College
  • Makerere University
  • Sudan University of Science and Technology
  • Uganda Martyrs University
  • Islamic University in Uganda

Another view of ranking resulted in the following list:

  1. University of Nairobi
  2. Makerere University
  3. Kenyatta University
  4. University of Dar es Salaam
  5. Egerton University
  6. Moi University
  7. The University of Dodoma
  8. University of Rwanda
  9. Sokoine University of Agriculture
  10. Strathmore University
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