“VUT has advanced to 20th place in South Africa in the latest Webometrics rankings, recording significant improvements in research visibility, digital impact and research excellence.”
09 September 2026 | Story by: Staff Reporter | Picture: VUT
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The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) has recorded notable progress in the latest Webometrics rankings, strengthening its position among South Africa’s leading higher education institutions while demonstrating significant gains in research visibility, digital impact and research excellence.
Between the January and July 2026 editions of the Webometrics rankings, VUT improved its national ranking from 21st to 20th place, securing its position among the country’s top 20 higher education institutions.
The University recorded particularly impressive gains in the Impact indicator, which measures online visibility and the extent to which external websites reference institutional content. VUT improved from 6,190th to 2,764th globally, representing a 55.4% improvement.
Equally encouraging was the University’s performance in the Excellence indicator, which assesses the visibility and citation performance of highly cited research publications. VUT advanced from 3,674th to 1,895th globally, reflecting a 48.4% improvement.
Commenting on the achievement, Prof Speech Nelana, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation, Commercialisation and Internationalisation, said the improved ranking demonstrates VUT’s growing research influence and commitment to knowledge creation.
“These results reflect the commitment and hard work of our researchers, academics, postgraduate students and support teams in advancing high-quality research that contributes to society and industry. The significant improvements in both the Impact and Excellence indicators underscore the growing visibility, relevance and influence of VUT’s research outputs on the national and global stage. As we celebrate 60 years of academic excellence, we remain focused on strengthening research capacity, expanding international collaborations and increasing the global reach of our scholarly contributions,” she said.
These gains demonstrate the growing reach and influence of VUT’s research outputs while highlighting the University’s commitment to advancing knowledge, innovation and societal impact through teaching, learning and research.
The results also reflect the collective efforts of VUT researchers, academic staff, postgraduate students and support divisions in strengthening the University’s research profile and enhancing its visibility on both national and international platforms.
As VUT celebrates 60 years of academic excellence, the University remains focused on further increasing high-impact research outputs, expanding global research collaborations and strengthening its digital presence to enhance its standing among leading institutions of higher learning.