By Kaya 959 News
The University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) has once again been ranked amongst the world’s leading universities.
This is according to the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which were released last week.
The report placed UJ in the 1st position in the world for Decent Work and Economic Growth. UJ also featured among the global Top 100 in the various United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs). UJ has been placed 92nd overall in the world.
The rankings are a pioneering initiative to recognise universities across the world for their social and economic impact, based on the SDGs of the United Nations.
Not only has UJ retained its position in the Top 100 but remarkably, the university has also climbed to the 1st position from 48 last year (2020 edition) in the world for SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
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Over 1000 universities participate
THE Impact Rankings are based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations (UN).
The SDGs are designed to address the most serious and critical global challenges of our time.
More than 1150 universities from around the world participated in the rankings.
The rankings aim to capture and measure universities’ contribution to society and the global knowledge economy, through their success in delivering on the UN SDGs, assessed against all 17 UN SDGs.
In addition to being ranked 92nd in the world, UJ was ranked in the top 100 for the following SDGs: SDG 1: No Poverty (#4); SDG 4: Quality Education (#24); SDG 5: Gender Equality (#43); SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities (#60); SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production (#79) and for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (#91).
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Investments pay off
“The University has invested heavily in the teaching and learning domain to make it possible for our students and academic staff to excel in research and academic work.
“Through these impact rankings the University is demonstrating its work in tackling global issues, and these endeavours have not gone unnoticed,” said UJ’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala.
Marwala said these results are received with great joy and celebration
“We continue to forge ahead with our mission to make UJ the University of Choice, anchored in Africa and dynamically shaping the world.
“We remain steadfast in supporting the UN SDGs through our research, teaching and learning, community outreach and engagement, stewardship, and knowledge transfer,” Marwalal said.
UJ launches podcast
Last week, UJ launched its first podcast, on conversations with academics working on COVID-related research.
In his weekly message, Marwala said the launch fell in line with UJ’s strategic objective.
“Podcasts have seen a steady rise in popularity over the last decade. This global phenomenon has seen more than 1.7 million podcasts and 43 million episodes published worldwide just this year alone,” he said.
With a similar format to talk radio this rise in popularity largely coincides with a general increase in digital media consumption, specifically on mobile devices. You can listen to the podcast here.
He further congratulated Professor Philiswa Nomngongo, the SARChI Chair, Nanotechnology for Water and Professor in Environmental Analytical Chemistry, on her professorial inauguration on Thursday, 22 April 2021.
Prof Nomngongo’s inauguration address, titled Nanotechnology and Environmental Analytical Chemistry: Current Status and Future Perspectives, delved into the broad field of nanotechnology.
