The University of Cape Town (UCT) has maintained its position as Africa’s top university, ranking in the top 1.3% of institutions worldwide in the 2025 Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). UCT is globally ranked 275th and remains number one in both South Africa and Africa, with an overall score of 77.4 and notable placements in education, employability, and research[1].
Recently, UCT officially launched its flagship Green Precinct and Water Treatment Facility, a milestone project aimed at advancing water sustainability, research, and community well-being[2]. This aligns with UCT’s broader commitment to transformation and societal betterment, as outlined in its Vision 2030 strategy[4].
UCT also continues to support inclusivity, highlighted by the celebration of its disability rights unit’s capacity-building programme, Access4All[2]. In another significant move, UCT has adopted a university-wide framework to guide the integration of artificial intelligence technologies, deciding to discontinue the use of flawed AI detectors[2].
The campus has been active with various initiatives, including the DSA Welcome Festival for new students, and the FinHub GenesisBloc Launchpad for entrepreneurship[5]. UCT’s community engagement also extends to the arts, with recent musical events marking the 10th anniversary of VOX Cape Town[2].
Earlier this year, UCT witnessed student protests centered around registration challenges, accommodation, and financial exclusion for students with debts over R10,000. Student representatives demanded a suspension of all classes pending substantive negotiations with university management[3].