By Charmaine Ndlela

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) has emerged as the top-performing university in the Eastern Cape for research output, outperforming several institutions and ranking among South Africa’s leading research universities.

According to the 2024 Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Research Outputs Sector-Wide Report, released this month, UFH achieved a weighted per capita research output score of 2.39, surpassing the national average of 2.23.

The score places Fort Hare among only 11 universities nationally that performed above the sector benchmark and makes it the highest-ranked university in the Eastern Cape on the key measure of research productivity and postgraduate success.

UFH also outperformed several institutions, including the University of South Africa (Unisa), which recorded a score of 2.34, and Rhodes University, which achieved 2.36.

UFH Director of Research and Innovation Dr Aceme Nyika said the achievement reflects the university’s commitment to conducting research that responds to societal challenges.

“As an institution that is rooted in communities and conducts research which addresses issues that affect communities, excelling in research means that UFH is making a significant contribution to the socioeconomic development of communities in the Eastern Cape,” he said.

Nyika said the ranking demonstrates the progress made by the university despite historical challenges.

“Being the only historically disadvantaged university among the top 11 universities in the country demonstrates that UFH is making strides in transforming itself into a research-focused university against all odds,” he said.

The university attributed its improved performance to a series of interventions introduced after research output declined between 2017 and 2021.

A major turning point came in 2021 when the institution separated its Academic Affairs Division into dedicated Teaching and Learning and Research, Partnerships and Innovation portfolios, allowing for greater focus on research development.

UFH also introduced mentorship programmes for emerging academics, research seed grants and specialised training programmes to strengthen research capacity.

As part of its research strategy, the university identified five key focus areas: renewable energy; agriculture and climate change; infectious diseases and medicinal plants; township economies; and African liberation heritage.

The institution has also intensified efforts to secure research funding from the private sector, national partners and international collaborators.

The impact of these initiatives is evident in the growth of National Research Foundation (NRF)-rated researchers at the university. The number increased from 29 in 2021 to 53 in 2025, representing growth of nearly 83%.

The university also achieved its first-ever B1 NRF rating in 2025 after producing two B2-rated researchers the previous year.

Postgraduate research capacity has expanded significantly. The proportion of permanently employed academics holding doctoral qualifications increased from 47% in 2022 to more than 65% in 2025, strengthening supervision capacity and contributing to higher master’s and doctoral graduation rates.

“The university’s improved postgraduate throughput contributed to its weighted per capita research output, which has now surpassed the national average,” Nyika said.

UFH plans to further strengthen its research and innovation profile through the establishment of a new Research and Innovation Hub, for which funding has already been secured.

The facility is expected to support collaboration between researchers, industry and investors while helping to commercialise innovations developed at the university.

The university said it is also advancing plans to establish a Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, building on its strengths in agricultural and animal science research.

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