DUT climbs 1039 places in global university rankings

Durban University of Technology (DUT) is making waves across the world, having climbed an impressive 1039 positions in the latest Webometrics global university rankings. DUT advanced from 2855th place in 2024 to 1816th in 2025.

In total, 31360 institutions were rated worldwide. It places DUT in the top six percent globally. This improvement underscores DUT’s commitment to academic excellence, research impact, creativity and innovation, said Alan Khan, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs at DUT.

“The achievement follows closely on the heels of DUT’s strong performance in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, which was announced in November last year,” said Mr Khan.

“In that ranking, DUT strengthened its position as a leader in academic excellence, securing an impressive 11th place among Sub-Saharan African universities.”

Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT, said the achievement was a reflection of DUT’s “relentless pursuit of excellence”.

“The visionary leadership of our Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu and the support and dedication of our staff and students, continues to pave the way for DUT’s growth and prosperity. This success further reinforces our commitment to research, innovation, engagement, entrepreneurship and making a meaningful impact on a global scale,” said Professor Nemavhola.

Mr Khan added that the Webometrics rankings, compiled by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) in Spain, are published twice a year and evaluates universities based on their web presence, research output and impact.