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Research facts & Figures
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Research facts & Figures
About research at SU
SU in the rankings
Driving Research Excellence
Research Contracts
By the Numbers:
Growth of SU staff with doctoral degrees
Faculties, Schools, Research Chairs & Centres of Excellence
1871
70%
research contracts processed during 2024
of SU's research contract funding is from international funders
10
Schools
Faculties
+Listo f faculies and schools
+Listof faculies and schools
Central Analytical Facilities (CAF)
CAF offers scientific tests and analytical expertise to science, health and engineering students and researchers, as well as related businesses.
CAF hosts
72,5%
10
of Academic staff members with a doctorate in 2024
operational units
52
Centres of Excellence
Research chairs
Stellenbosch University - NRF Ratings
Rated researchers per category - 2025
SU has the
2nd
480
highest number of rated researchers across higher education institutions in SA
rated researchers at SU in 2025
Growth of NRF rated researchers: 2015 -2025
Rated researchers per faculty- 2025
There has been a
30%
growth in the number of rated researchers at SU between 2015 & 2025
Postdoctoral Research
382
postdoctoral researchers
Men & Women in Postdoctoral Research
*August 2025
Stellenbosch University has proudly welcomed its largest group of postdoctoral researchers thus far, as it initiates a campaign for growth.
85%
REGISTRATIONS
from Africa
76%
in STEM fields
Postgraduate Overview
*As at June 2025
30%
Did you know?
of the total student population are enrolled as postgraduate students
In 2024, 3spinout companies are being driven by our PhD students and recent postgraduates!
46%
*As at June 2025
of postgraduate students enrolled are from the BCIA groups
329
doctoral degrees awarded in 2024
Did you know?
There has been a steady increase in the amount of postgraduate funding administered, reflecting the university’s ongoing investment in postgraduate excellence.
International Postgraduate students
PhDs awarded: 2020 - 2024
% of Masters & PhD enrolments by Faculty - 2025
+ INFO
Did you know?
Research outputs
Networks & partnerships
3 304
Stellenbosch University is a co-lead for 4 Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) created by the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild). These clusters bring together distinguished researchers from universities and research institutes across both continents.
381
journal articles in accredited journals for the 2024-publication year were submitted to DHET for subsidy purposes
universities and research institutes in 69 countries on 6 continents
For the 2023-publication year outputs SU received:
- the 2nd highest number of book publications (364.3 subsidy units)
- the 2nd highest number of conference proceedings (116.71 subsidy units)
- the 4th highest per-capita research output (1,55)
Funding
The total number of all EU-related research collaboration successful awards for the Horizon Europe period (2021-date) is totalling
40
Partner institutions in 24 other African countries
75
Stellenbosch University (SU) is one of South Africa’s top-performing institutions when it comes to creative research outputs. SU has consistently ranked first nationally in the number of submissions and units awarded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
R274 million.
for more information: www.su.ac.za/en/research-innovation
Last update: October 2025
About Research at SU
At Stellenbosch University (SU), research is central to our mission of creating knowledge that makes a difference. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and global partnerships, our researchers tackle local and global challenges while advancing innovation and sustainable development.
Our five strategic research areas:
- The natural environment
- Health and human security
- Social justice and development
- Human creativity and social innovation
- Systems and technologies for the future
Faculties at SU
- AgriSciences
- Arts and Social Sciences
- Economic and Management Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Law
- Medicine and Health Sciences
- Military Science
- Science
- Theology
Schools at SU
- School for Data Science and Computational thinking
- School for Climate Studies
SU is positioning itself as a leading university on the African continent.
World University Rankings
QS World University Rankings 2026:
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (2025)
#302
globally & ranked
301–350
Ranked
3rd
in South Africa
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Subject Rankings (2025)
- Ranked in 21 subjects out of 1 747 institutions across 55 narrow subjects.
- Life Sciences & Medicine: Top 230 globally & 2nd in South Africa
- Arts & Humanities: Top 310 globally & 3rd in South Africa
- Social Sciences & Management: Top 370 globally & 2nd in South Africa
- Natural Sciences: Top 450 globally
- Engineering & Technology: Top 500 globally