The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has once again affirmed its global leadership in sustainable development, retaining a remarkable position #1 in South Africa and on the African continent. This is according to the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings released on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. UJ has also achieved its best-ever performance in these rankings, climbing 13 places from its 2024 position of 36th to an outstanding 23rd place globally. The University is now ranked among the top 30 universities in the world out of 2,318 institutions evaluated.
The THE Impact Rankings assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), measuring how institutions worldwide are delivering social, environmental, and economic impact. The 2025 rankings are based on data submitted for the 2023 academic year. Building on its remarkable showing in the 2024 rankings, UJ has continued its trajectory of excellence.
In this year’s results, UJ is ranked in the global top 100 for ten individual SDGs, with three in the top 10:
- #2 in the world for SDG 1: No Poverty (up from #3 in 2024)
- #4 in the world for SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth (up from #6)
- #4 in the world for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals (a dramatic improvement from the 201–300 band)
Notably, UJ has also achieved notable top 100 placements for the following SDGs:
- #18 for SDG 5: Gender Equality
- #24 for SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities (up from #46)
- #32 for SDG 4: Quality Education (up from #53)
- #49 for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (up from 101–200)
- #68 for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (up from 301–400)
- #78 for SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production (up from 101–200)
- #96 for SDG 2: Zero Hunger
For the remaining SDGs, UJ also demonstrated strong upward momentum:
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being — ranked 101–200 (up from 401–600)
- SDG 13: Climate Action — ranked 101–200 (up from 401–600)
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation — ranked 201–300 (up from 301–400)
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — ranked 201–300 (up from 401–600)
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure — ranked 201–300 (same as 2024)
These results not only underscore UJ’s steadfast commitment to sustainable development, equity, and impactful partnerships but also highlight the University’s growing influence in tackling global challenges through research, teaching, and community engagement.
Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UJ, said:
“This outstanding performance is a testament to our University’s continued commitment to reimagining higher education as a driver of societal change. Our ranking reflects the focused efforts driven by our Strategic Plan 2035, which is built on three key pillars: Societal Impact and Sustainability, Global Footprint and Partnerships, and Technology for the Future. These pillars guide our trajectory over the next decade and underpin our dedication to creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all.”
This announcement follows UJ’s strong showing in a separate global ranking released on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, where the University was named the third-highest ranked university in South Africa, after the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). Together, the two results signal UJ’s rising reputation and consistent excellence across multiple global performance metrics.
The 2025 THE Impact Rankings were officially released on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. For the full results, visit: www.timeshighereducation.com/impactrankings.
