University of Cape Town

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a multicultural, multinational community of around 5 000 academic and professional, administrative support and service staff, and some 29 000 students who come from over 100 countries across the globe. Offering degrees in six faculties – Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science – UCT sees around 7 200 students graduate year on year.

UCT’s vision is to be an inclusive, research-intensive African university that addresses the challenges of our time with cutting-edge teaching, research and facilities. As a university, UCT is committed to promoting transformation, to working tirelessly to guarantee the sustainability of our institution, and to ensuring excellence in all we do.

Academic excellence

UCT has a proud tradition of academic excellence and is currently the top-rated university in Africa and one of the top-rated universities in the world.

Its researchers continue to help with the creation of African-based solutions to global problems, including issues relating to climate change, urbanisation, safety and security, education and health, to name just a few. Many UCT researchers are recognised world leaders in their respective fields, which means that if you choose to collaborate or study with UCT, you will be engaging with the latest scholarly work and research discoveries.

Teaching and learning

In addition to providing excellent teaching, UCT encourages students to build their leadership and service skills. Students are invited to participate in the many volunteer projects taking place in the local communities, to become active members of the 100 plus societies and over 40 sports clubs on campus, or to give something back to the institution by serving in student governance.

UCT continues to grow as an internationally connected and relevant institution, advancing the distinctiveness of our own African scholarship by attracting students and academics from all over the world to experience what the top university on the continent has to offer.

The universityʼs constant dedication to the academic project is the cornerstone of its work. UCT comprises a diverse community making a contribution to the institution, the people that belong to it and its future.

“The world is wobbling on its axis, and the old certainties – good and bad – are unravelling. To cope with the uncertain future we face, we are going to need three things: an unrelenting commitment to excellence, an exceptional focus on transformation and the courage to do things differently. Among all these uncertainties, I am sure of this: that the research community at UCT is up to the challenge.”

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Vice-Chancellor