The Durban University of Technology (DUT) has climbed an impressive 1039 positions in the latest Webometrics global university rankings. DUT advanced from 2855th place in 2024 to 1816th in 2025. In total, 31360 institutions were rated worldwide. It places DUT in the Top 6% globally. This remarkable improvement underscores DUT’s commitment to academic excellence, research impact, creativity and innovation.
The achievement follows closely on the heels of DUT’s strong performance in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, which was announced in November last year. In that ranking, DUT strengthened its position as a leader in academic excellence, securing an impressive 11th place among Sub-Saharan African universities.
Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT said: “This tremendous achievement is a reflection of DUT’s relentless pursuit of excellence, underpinned by our ENVISION2030 strategy. The visionary leadership of our Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu and the support and dedication of our staff and students, continues to pave the way for DUT’s growth and prosperity. This success further reinforces our commitment to research, innovation, engagement, entrepreneurship and making a meaningful impact on a global scale.”
The Webometrics rankings, compiled by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) in Spain, are published twice a year and evaluates universities based on their web presence, research output and impact. Originally designed to promote open access initiatives and digital accessibility of academic materials, the ranking has evolved into a valuable indicator of universities’ global visibility and influence. Unlike other rankings that focus solely on research citations and publications, Webometrics evaluates institutions using a broader set of indicators:
• Visibility (50%) – The number of external networks linking to the institution’s webpages.
• Transparency or Openness (10%) – The number of citations from the Top 310 authors, excluding the top 30 outliers.
• Excellence (40%) – The number of research papers ranked in the top 10% of citations across 27 disciplines over the last five years.
The ranking’s methodology allows for the assessment of a vast number of tertiary institutions, including universities, colleges and technical institutions. In 2025, the Webometrics rankings covered 31360 institutions globally, providing a comprehensive view of academic performance and online influence.
Pictured: DUT’s Steve Biko campus in Durban.
Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile.
Alan Khan
