If you are interested in studying Food Science & Technology, Biotechnology, Communication, Biological Sciences or Agricultural Sciences in South Africa, look no further than Stellenbosch University (SU). According to the 2025 Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) released on Wednesday 19 November, SU is the best university in the country in these subjects. It is also ranked in the top 100 in the world in Ecology and Public Health.

The 2024 edition of GRAS evaluated over 1,900 institutions from 96 countries and regions in 55 subjects across five broad fields: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Social Sciences. 

Ranked in 14 subjects, SU improved its global position in Geography (top 150), Biological Sciences (top 300) and Public Health. It is also among the top 150 institutions in Food Science and Technology and Communication, and among the top 300 in Agricultural Sciences, Clinical Medicine and Political Science. In Biotechnology, Human Biological Sciences, Economics and Education, SU made it into the top 400. Nationally, SU also moved up in the rankings in Geography (from a share fourth place to third) and Biological Sciences (from shared third place to shared first place).

The rankings use a range of objective academic indicators and third-party data to measure the performance of universities in relevant subjects, including categories such as world-class faculty, world-class output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.

ShanghaiRanking began publishing the world university rankings by academic subjects in 2009. Building on this foundation, the GRAS was introduced in 2017 with an enhanced methodology.

Commenting on SU’s latest achievement, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, said “we are really grateful to our academics, researchers and faculties who ensure that we deliver quality both on the learning and teaching, and research and innovation front. As SU, we are continuing to make national, continental and global impact in service of society. 

“Our gratitude extends to all our stakeholders and partners who continue to trust us and pursue their studies at SU. In the words of our Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, ‘SU aims to be Africa’s leading research-intensive university, on the path to becoming Africa’s first Top 100 global university.’”

 2025 has been a good year for SU in terms of global university rankings. It featured among the top universities on the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject, the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings by Subject, the QS World University Rankings and the THE World University Rankings. Over the last few years, SU has been consistently ranked among the best tertiary institutions in the world on these rankings.