The last time I can remember when a globally renowned outfit ranked African universities based on their aesthetic outlook was in November 2018. It was a top-10 review by The Times Higher Education. In that publication, the media outfit clarified as follows:
We know that you shouldn’t really pick a university based on how pretty it is, but it is also important that you find a university environment that aligns with the type of experience you want to have. Whether it’s out in the mountains or in the middle of a city, a university’s setting can play a huge part in your experience as a student.
Believe it or leave it, the beauty – or otherwise – of a learning environment matters beyond what most people may want to acknowledge. For one thing, it can go a very long way in enhancing or impeding the rate and the quality of information consumption and retention.
No doubt, it’s the reason some of the most serene and sane surroundings the world has to offer are within and around the topmost halls of ivy. Thus, this brings us to the topic of the day: The 10 most beautiful universities on the continent of Africa in 2023, according to an AI-based ranking by Google.
In the 2018 ranking by The Times Higher Education, the top ten slots on this enviable list was occupied by only 5 out of the 54 countries on the continent representing a negligible 9.2%: Nigeria got 4, South Africa 3, while Ghana, Senegal, and Uganda got 1 each.
Although the list has been reshuffled a bit in the November 2023 ranking by Google, this kind of extreme monopoly got even worse. This time, the top ten slots are shared 50/50 by only 2 of the 54 African countries (Nigeria and South Africa) representing a mere 3.7%. It makes one wonder if only a negligible fraction of the African countries are paying more than an average attention to higher education:
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Here Is The Current Google Ranking Of African Universities Based On Their Aesthetics
1. University of the Witwatersrand
Image credit: Admire Mlalazi
Popularly known as Wits University and deeply rooted in the mining industry, the University of the Witwatersrand is located in the Johannesburg region of South Africa.
2. Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University students’ accommodation. Image credit: Wise Move
Together with the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University is the oldest university in South Africa as well as the oldest living university in sub-Saharan Africa having been raised to a full university status in 1918. It is located in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
3. University of Cape Town
Image credit: Warrenski on Flickr
Image credit: Daniel Martin
As earlier said, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is the oldest living university in sub-Saharan Africa and the oldest in South Africa together with the University of Stellenbosch.
4. Covenant University
Covenant University senate building. Image credit: Covenant University
Image credit: John Ajiboye
Covenant University is the only private uni and the first outside of South Africa to make this list. It is a Christian-themed citadel in Ota, a town located about 26km from Lagos, Nigeria’s foremost commercial hub.
5. University of Lagos
Image credit: Premium Times
University of Lagos is a public research university located in Nigeria’s commercial city state of Lagos. It was established in 1962.
6. University of South Africa
Image credit: Wikidata
Formerly known as the University of the Cape of Good Hope, University of South Africa (UNISA) is a mega university incorporating numerous campuses, colleges, and affiliates. With an enrollment reaching as high as 400,000, it welcomes students from over 130 countries across the world. It is the largest university in Africa by population.
7. Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife
Image credit: Obafemi Awolowo University
Image credit: Wikipedia
Formerly known as the University of Ife, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) was established in 1961. It is a public university located in Ile-Ife, a town in the southwestern region of Nigeria.
8. Rhodes University
Image credit: South African History Online
Image credit: HeraldLIVE
Founded in 1904 as Rhodes University College, Rhodes University is a public university located in Grahamstown (Makhanda), a town in the eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
9. University of Nigeria Nsukka
Image credit: University of Nigeria Nsukka
University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) is a public university located in the town of Nsukka in the southeastern part of Nigeria. It was established in 1955.
10. University of Ibadan
Image credit: Wikipedia Commons
Established as a college of the University of London in 1948, University of Ibadan was raised to the status of a full-fledged university in 1962. It is located in the southwestern region of Nigeria and it is the oldest degree-awarding institution in the country.
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