A new list of top universities in the world contains one representative from Nigeria- the University of Ibadan. Often described as the nation’s premier university, UI is ranked 600th out of the world’s top 1,000 institutions of higher learning.
The list, which was published by the Times Higher Education, ranks universities based on such criteria as teaching, citations of scholarly publications, research, industry income, and international outlook. Of the 22 Universities from Africa represented on it, the University of Ibadan was the sole Nigerian higher institution featured. Universities from South Africa and Egypt accounted for much of the African representation.
Times Higher Education had a number of positive things to say about Nigeria’s oldest university- it’s zoological and botanical gardens, home to several endangered species; a functioning distance learning center; a media resource center offering educational workshops and consultancies; and facilities such as gyms, cafes, and common rooms. UI is said to have the largest postgraduate school in Africa- postgraduate students make up about half of its total student population.
As has been the case in the past, Anglo-Saxon institutions dominate this year’s list of top universities. The UK’s University of Oxford is perched at the top, with the California Institute of Technology (CALTECH) coming in second. Stanford, Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) complete the top 5.