The Great Academic Bake-Off: World University Rankings 2025!
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the annual **World University Rankings**—where universities around the globe are pitted against each other like contestants on a reality TV show. Admissions’ office drama, student loans, and lavish campus tours have nothing on the thrilling world of academic elitism! And guess who just made the cut? **Mohammed VI Polytechnic University** (UM6P) strutting its stuff among the best African universities. I mean, check your ego at the door, folks; we’ve got a new player on the block!
What’s Cooking in the Rankings Pot?
This year, the folks over at **Times Higher Education** have thrown 2,092 universities into their cauldron, stirring up a concoction that’s 185 establishments richer than last year’s edition. Now we’re talking about a feast of data! But no worries, it’s not a buffet for everyone; only around twenty African universities snagged a seat at the table, strutting into the world Top 1000. The lineup from Africa’s best and brightest comes courtesy of South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt. Lucky three!
Methodology Madness
Now let’s break down the secret sauce! The ranking uses the **WUR 3.0 methodology**, infused with 18 performance indicators that assess universities across five key realms: teaching quality, research environment, research quality, industrial innovation, and international perspectives. It’s a bit like a reality show that does not just judge on looks; intellect is the name of the game, and the indicators are refined to provide the most complete and balanced comparisons. Who knew that academia could be as spicy as a roast from your favorite stand-up comedian?
And the Winners Are…
As we delve into the crème de la crème, it’s no surprise that the **Anglo-Saxon establishments** are still dominating—seven American universities and three from the UK simply taking the crown yet again. Oxford, the sort of Hogwarts for adults, is at the helm for the ninth consecutive year. I mean, they’ve practically got a permanent reservation on that podium! American universities such as MIT and Harvard follow close behind, while our Chinese friends are still waiting in the wings, inching closer to the VIP lounge but not quite there yet. Keep at it, folks!
A Splash of African Excellence!
Now, shifting gears to the African side of things, it’s South Africa taking the lead with the **University of Cape Town** ranked at 180th worldwide. Who said the southern hemisphere can’t make a splash in academia? This university is the grandma of them all, established in 1829 and still showing everyone how it’s done. With a student population of 21,021 and a clever balance of foreign students, it’s academia’s very own melting pot!
Next up, we have **Stellenbosch University** and the **University of the Witwatersrand**. But wait, there’s our shining star: **Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)**, nestled near Marrakech. Established just in 2017, it’s like the young prodigy finally getting noticed after years of hard work. In just seven years, they’ve breached the 401-500 bracket on the world stage. Impressive! That’s akin to going from being the kid performing in school plays to winning an Oscar! Talk about a glow-up!
Conclusion: Look Out, World!
With only 2,092 students, a borderline ridiculous 9.5 students per supervisor, and only a trio of foreign students wandering the halls, UM6P is still figuring out its identity among the global elite. Yet it’s thrilling to see such a young institution lighting the academic sky. If the past is any indication, this could just be the beginning of a beautiful strategically-planned friendship with the global academic community. Here’s to knowledge, innovation, and world impact!
So there you have it, folks! A cheeky yet sharp look at the **World University Rankings 2025**. Remember, whether you’re at the top of the list or still climbing, what truly matters is that you’re engaged in the pursuit of knowledge. And for heaven’s sake, no pressure—unless you’re in one of those top ten universities!
Times Higher Education is a monthly newspaper based in London and specializing in the field of higher education. The newspaper has unveiled its World University Rankings 2025 ranking of the best universities in the world. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is among the best African universities.
For this edition, 2092 universities were selected and processed. That is 185 establishments more than the previous ranking. Around twenty African universities are in the world Top 1000. The 10 highest ranked universities on the continent are located in three countries: South Africa, Morocco and Egypt.
This ranking is considered the most comprehensive in the world in terms of university performance. This is based on the WUR 3.0 methodology which uses 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators to assess universities in five key areas: teaching quality, research environment, research quality, industrial innovation and international perspectives. This methodology provides the most complete and balanced basis for comparison.
Times Higher Education, the newspaper founded in 1971, has provided reliable data on university performance to students, academics, university leaders and governments since 2004.
As usual, the world ranking is still dominated by Anglo-Saxon establishments, particularly American universities. The Top 10 includes seven American universities and three from the United Kingdom. These are University of Oxford (UK), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), Harvard University (USA), Princeton University (USA), University of Cambridge (UK), Stanford University (USA), California Institute of Technology –MIT – (USA), University of California-Berkeley (USA), Imperial College London (UK) and Yale University (USA).
Thus, and for the 9th consecutive year, Oxford retains its first place. As for Chinese universities, they are getting closer, but are not yet in the world Top 10.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University among the best African universities
On the African level, the ranking is dominated by South African universities. Around twenty African universities are in the world Top 1000. And in the Top 10 of the best universities on the African continent, only three countries are represented: South Africa, Morocco and Egypt.
The best African university in the ranking is the University of Cape Town in South Africa, which ranks 180th in the world. This public university, located in Cape Town, and founded in 1829 under the name South African College, is the oldest university in South Africa. The establishment has 21,021 students, a supervisory ratio of 10.8 students/supervisor, has 43% foreign students and has a female/male ratio of 51/49. Then two other South African universities are positioned: Stellenbosch University and the University of the Witwatersrand.
Behind these three South African universities is the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) of Benguerir, near the city of Marrakech. Inaugurated in January 2017, UM6P is newer, unlike the top-ranked South African universities. It is a semi-public institution of Moroccan higher education focused on applied research and innovation.
With 2,092 students, UM6P has 9.5 students for every supervisor, 3% foreign students and a ratio of 44 women to 56 men. The UM6P ranking is also justified by the patents resulting from its research.
By ranking in the 401-500 bracket of the best universities in the world, UM6P is placed in the Top 500 of the best universities in the world, 7 years after its inauguration. “This integration into the Top 500,” underlines a press release from the establishment, “is an important milestone which reflects the UM6P’s mission to promote knowledge, innovation and global impact.”
>> Read also: Moroccan students take the lion’s share at Polytechnique Paris
