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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

UFS Choir excited about Varsity Sing
2016-06-29

Description: 001 UFS Choir Group 2016-06-29 Tags: UFS Choir Group

The University of the Free State choir will
perform in the Sand du Plessis Theatre in
Bloemfontein on 30 June 2016 as part of
the Varsity Sing competition.
Photo: Supplied

“We believe the competition will increase the exposure of the choir, and we will start to be taken seriously by different stakeholders,” says Sive Makombe from the University of the Free State (UFS) Choir Management.

Makombe and Marischa van Zyl, also from the UFS Choir Management, are excited about Varsity Sing, a new choral competition for university choirs. They will compete for the final prize of being crowned as the best university choir in South Africa.

Competition broadcast on kykNET


Earlier this year, Varsity Sports announced their new intervarsity ‘sporting’ venture, the inaugural Varsity Sing. The concept is aimed at boosting and increasing awareness around university choirs. It will be broadcast as a television programme, Varsity Sing, and aired from 14 July 2016 on kykNET on DStv. Twelve universities from around the country will be taking part in the competition.

Support your university free of charge

As one of the competing choirs, the UFS Choir, like the other participating choirs, will with the competition give its members something to work towards. The choir will feature in the fourth round, competing against the Central University of Technology and Mangosuthu University of Technology on 30 June 2016 in the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein.

The show, from 18:30 to 21:00, will be free of charge. This will give the UFS community the chance to come out in numbers. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Tonderai Chiyindiko at chiyindikot@ufs.ac.za or at the door on the night of the competition.

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