University of Cape Town

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. It is located in the Western Cape Province. The University of Cape Town (UCT) was established in 1829 as the South African College, making it the country's oldest higher education institution. Together with Stellenbosch University, which obtained full university status on the same day in 1918, it is the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest existent university in Sub-Saharan Africa. This university is ranked the best university in South Africa.

The University of Cape Town is made up of 57 departments organized into six faculties, as well as the multidisciplinary Centre for Higher Education Development. It has between 29,000 and 30,000 students studying liberal arts, pure sciences, and professional degrees, ranging from bachelor's degrees (NQF 7) to doctoral degrees (NQF 10). A thriving student community of over 100 societies and clubs caters to a wide range of interests, including religion, politics, culture, community outreach, and sport, and is well-represented in national leagues such as the Varsity Cup. The moniker "Ikeys" comes from the historic (and ongoing) intellectual, sports, and political rivalry between UCT and Stellenbosch University. Stretching over six campuses in the Cape Town suburbs of Rondebosch, Hiddingh, Observatory, Mowbray and the V&A Waterfront, the medium of instruction is solely in the English language.

In the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities, UCT is the highest-ranked African university, and its Commerce, Law, and Medicine faculties are consistently ranked among the top hundred in the world. It is the only African member of the World Economic Forum's Global University Leaders Forum (GULF), which is made up of 26 of the world's finest universities. The Nobel Prize has been awarded to five UCT alumni, staff members, and researchers. As of March 2020, 35 UCT employees are A-rated NRF researchers (representing 30% of the national total) and 88 employees are members of the South African Academy of Sciences.

Established: 1 October 1829

Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Website: https://www.uct.ac.za/