The University of Pretoria (UP) is now ranked second in SA and 190th in the world according to the employer reputation indicator in the latest QS World University Rankings (WUR).

The University has also improved its indicators for academic reputation (now ranked 4th in SA and 359th in the world) and international faculty (now ranked 4th in SA and 464th in the world). According to the results, 2 462 institutions were analysed and 1 422 institutions were ranked from 100 locations in the 2023 edition

The QS ranking draws on 75 000 survey responses from graduate employers worldwide for employer reputation. The survey asks employers to identify those institutions from which they source the most competent, innovative and effective graduates. Employers are asked to identify up to 10 domestic and 30 international institutions they consider excellent for recruiting graduates.

According to the QS Employer Insights Report, the top three priorities that corporate recruiters consider when hiring university graduates are their professional experience, the specific subject they studied and the preferences of employers looking to hire graduates from highly ranked universities when it comes to reputation. There are four key elements in choosing the right university for career goals – reputation, teaching quality, rankings and employability prospects. The quality and variety of the courses and research opportunities offered at UP also significantly affect the University’s status.

QS’ global survey of academics has been at the heart of the QS WUR since its inception in 2004 and draws on responses from over 130 000 academics worldwide for academic reputation. Respondents identify the countries, regions, universities and faculty areas they are most familiar with. For each of the faculty areas they identify (up to two), respondents are asked to list up to 10 domestic and 30 international institutions they consider excellent for research in the given area. Also, the QS WUR is unique as it incorporates employability as a key factor in evaluating international universities.

UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe congratulated the University community for achieving these results. “Prospective students interested in attending a university will want to be given the best chance of pursuing their chosen career paths after graduation. Various features of an institution play a part in its stability in building employable graduates, including teaching quality, research capacity and available resources. UP’s rank in employer reputation shows that employer reputation can encourage the establishment of effective partnerships between academia and industry, helping students gain the necessary training and networks for further employment. UP’s awareness of its reputation (employer and academic) can be used as a tool to help shape and achieve strategic planning objectives.”

As the world recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of university graduates with the critical skills and qualities required by modern employers has never been greater. UP’s improved ranking in employer and academic reputation reflects the emphasis placed by the University on enhancing graduate employability, particularly through its Ready For Work initiative, which is specifically designed for students and graduates from UP to acquire the requisite skills and attributes to help them integrate into the world of work more easily.

“UP is committed to world-class research and high-quality teaching, and it is pleasing to see that this focus is bearing fruit with improved rankings, especially when it is compared to top institutions around the globe,” said Prof Kupe.