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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

Award-winning artist Mohau Modisakeng exhibits at UFS
2017-03-02

Description: Mohau Modisakeng exhibition 2 Tags: Mohau Modisakeng exhibition 2

One of the artworks from Modisakeng’s Lefa La Ntate
collection.
Photo: Supplied

Standard Bank Young Artist, Mohau Modisakeng is a multidisciplinary artist who uses memory as a portal linking the past and present to explore themes within the post-apartheid context.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is hosting the Visual Arts 2016 artist’s exhibition, entitled Lefa La Ntate. The exhibition is on at the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery in the Sasol Library on the Bloemfontein Campus and will run until 31 March 2017.

Artist uses his body to explore influences
Lefa La Ntate represents an emotional moment of grieving and is a critical response to the historical legacy of exploitation and the current lived experience of many black South Africans.  

Modisakeng, who was born in Soweto in 1986, uses his body to explore the influence of South Africa’s violent history on how we understand our cultural, political, and social roles as human beings. “My work responds to the history of the black body within the (South) African context, which is intertwined with the violence of the apartheid era and the early 1990s.”

Acknowledging upcoming young artists
The Young Artist Awards were established to acknowledge emerging young South African artists who have displayed outstanding talent in their artistic endeavours.

The exhibition premiered at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in 2016 and has travelled to Port Elizabeth, Pietermaritzburg, and Cape Town.

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