UNAM and NUST Ranked Among Top 50 Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa
By TUW
Namibia’s higher education sector has gained regional recognition after the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) were placed among the top 50 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The achievement follows the release of the inaugural QS World University Rankings: Sub-Saharan Africa, a new assessment dedicated to evaluating universities within the region. The ranking reviewed more than 1,000 institutions, with 260 universities meeting the eligibility criteria. From these, 69 universities across 21 countries were ultimately ranked.
UNAM secured the 31st position overall, while NUST placed 46th, making them the only Namibian institutions represented among the region’s top-performing universities.
The QS regional ranking uses a methodology that considers academic reputation, research output, graduate employability, international engagement, and sustainability measures. The framework is designed to provide a context-sensitive comparison of universities operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, welcomed the recognition, saying the results reflect progress in strengthening Namibia’s higher education system.
She noted that such rankings contribute to enhancing the credibility and visibility of Namibian universities on the continental stage, while also highlighting improvements in academic standards and research capacity.
Higher education observers say regional rankings are becoming increasingly relevant, particularly for African universities seeking fair comparisons within similar economic and institutional environments.
The inclusion of UNAM and NUST is expected to positively influence Namibia’s academic reputation and could help support future collaborations, partnerships, and student recruitment efforts.
