If you want to excel as an expert in the fields of electromechanical and minerals engineering in the mining, chemical, oil and gas industries, or in a career in the fields of geography or mathematics, hospitality, education and tourism, the North-West University (NWU) is the right place to be.
The recent findings of the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy’s global Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) places these subject offerings among the top 500 in the world, proving that the NWU is an academic institution where excellence triumphs.
ARWU is a global ranking system that assesses more than 1 600 institutions from 83 countries. This is why being placed in the top 500 is a considerable achievement as subjects are benchmarked against the best of the best. The results are published annually.
The NWU shines with top subjects
According to the latest publication of the ARWU, the NWU excels in the subject groupings mining and mineral engineering and hospitality and tourism. In these subject groupings we rank respectively in the top 100 and top 200 globally.
The university’s atmospheric sciences subject grouping ranks in the top 300. With regard to other subject groupings, politics and education are among the top 400 with mathematics, psychology and environmental sciences rounding out the rest of the NWU’s cream of the crop subject offerings in top 500 placements.
The NWU is one of only two South African universities where both atmospheric sciences and mathematics rank in the top 500. This is especially relevant for students who want to study for a BSc degree with geography and applied mathematics as majors as the placement of these subjects in the rankings is a clear indication of the quality of the subject offerings.
The NWU is also only one of two South African universities that have mathematics (on its own) in the top 500.
Various criteria taken in account
It is a considerable achievement to have subjects ranked in the top 500 because of the strict criteria which is used in the ranking system. Research quality, impact of research in the industry and the community, and collaboration between institutions are all taken into account during the ranking process. Universities have to excel in all these areas in order to receive a good ranking.
ARWU is regarded as one of the three most important university rankings alongside QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Shanghai Ranking Consultancy which has published ARWU since 2009 is an independent organisation focusing on higher education.
Prof Robert Balfour, the NWU’s deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning, says the university's commitment to excellence in teaching and learning has been recognised in several international rating results in 2018.
The university achieved five of five stars from teaching and learning, employability of our graduates, and innovation in the Quaquarelli Symonds Rating for 2018.
“I am delighted that the passion, dedication and commitment of our excellent staff, and dedicated students has been similarly recognised in the ARWU (Shanghai) Ratings. What an awesome testimony to our colleagues and the evident conscientiousness of our students. Quality always wins!”
