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22 January 2025 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Supplied
University of the Free State - Main Gate
The THE rankings are known to guide potential students to identify the best institutions for their chosen field of study, allowing them to compare different universities based on the strength of their academic offerings in specific study fields.

The recently published Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2025 shows that the University of the Free State (UFS) is ranked among the top 1 000 global higher learning institutions in its nine evaluated subjects, with most subject areas showing improved results from those recorded in 2024. 

The annually published THE World University Rankings by Subject is a highly regarded, trusted global benchmark for academic excellence in specific disciplines. Its methodology is designed to evaluate universities by employing a range of performance indicators categorised under five core pillars, namely Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry, and International Outlook. 

Under Teaching, factors such as reputation, student-to-staff ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor ratio, and institutional income are considered. The Research pillar focuses on aspects such as productivity, citation impact, and influence. Among the other considerations are the income generated from industry partnerships and patents, as well as the number of international students, staff, and co-authored publications.

The methodology is carefully adjusted for each subject, ensuring fairness and accuracy by considering field-specific research cultures and publication practices.

The complete list of UFS subject rankings is as follows:

Law: 301+  *
Arts and Humanities: 501-600 # 
Education Studies: 501-600  #
Psychology: 501-600  #
Life Sciences: 601-800  #
Social Sciences: 601-800 #
Medical and Health: 801-1 000  #

Physical Sciences: 801-1 000 #

*The “+” label indicates that there is no upper limit and is used in instances where the THE does not provide exact ranks for universities beyond this position, therefore grouping institutions together to avoid overly fine distinctions at lower ranking tiers. (Eg. 801+ indicates 801st or lower.)

# The range label (eg. 801-1000), indicates that a university is ranked somewhere within this narrower range, (eg. between 801st  and 1000th. )

For more detail, visit: www.timeshighereducation.com

The THE rankings are known to guide potential students to identify the best institutions for their chosen field of study, allowing them to compare different universities based on the strength of their academic offerings in specific study fields. It also often paves the way for research collaboration, as companies are more likely to partner with highly ranked institutions in a specific sector for research and development projects. Furthermore, strong subject rankings enhance the international reputation of universities and enable comprehensive comparison in particular disciplines.

“This type of global benchmarking is extremely valuable in enhancing the international reputation of the UFS, enabling us to ultimately recruit and attract the most talented students and staff from our region and from across the globe. This aligns with our institutional strategy contained in Vision 130, whereby we aim to grow and extend our impact and influence locally, regionally, and globally,” says Prof Anthea Rhoda, acting UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal. “Valuable knowledge and insights are also garnered during each evaluation process, allowing us to remain a globally competitive force in higher education, and to take the UFS to even greater heights in the years to come.”

Click to view document Click to view UFS Times Higher Subject Scores

News Archive

ACUHO-I SAC chooses Bloemfontein Campus to host its first colloquium
2014-06-17

Mark Seale, Pieter Kloppers and WP Wahl (Assistant Director: Residence Life - UFS)

The Association of College and University Housing Officers - International; Southern Africa Chapter (ACUHO-I SAC) hosted its very first colloquium at our Bloemfontein Campus on 13 June 2014.

The theme revolved around the question: In which ways can practitioners in student housing assist to create an environment that is conducive to student development and success?

Mark Seale (ACUHO-I SAC: President and Director of Residential and Catering Services at the University of Western Cape) and Pieter Kloppers (ACUHO-I SAC: Research and Development and Director: Centre for Student Communities at the Stellenbosch University) were among those who addressed attendees.

Kloppers is also the pioneer of the standing committee idea, gathering experts in different fields of university residences and housing. “When it comes to university residences and housing, there are people specialising in different fields,” says Kloppers. “The idea is therefor to get these specialists together.”

For residence heads at Kovsies this was a wonderful and insightful experience. Residence Head of Kayalami men’s residence, Abel Jordaan, tweeted the following while attending the conference: “Meeting celebs in the field of Housing and Res Life today. Pieter Kloppers is a rock star and Mark Seale is the Neymar* of this field!” 
 
*Neymar is a Brazilian soccer player who was the top goal scorer in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup against Croatia.

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