The School of Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand has shot up the world league tables to take 15th place in the 2018 QS World University Rankings.

Up from its position as number 22 in last year’s rankings, it is the only mining engineering school in Africa to feature in the top 50 ranking of mining engineering schools worldwide. This accolade also makes it the highest ranked school at Wits University.

“It is extremely encouraging to earn this recognition, in light of our ongoing efforts to keep our school at the leading edge of learning and research,” says Head of School Professor Cuthbert Musingwini.

With about 800 undergraduate and postgraduate students – about 15% of them from countries outside South Africa – the school is the largest mining engineering programme in the English-speaking world.

The QS World University Rankings name the world’s top universities in 46 different subject areas and five composite faculty areas. It is the only international ranking recognised by the International Ranking Expert Group.