The University of South Africa (Unisa) says its academic and institutional performance has continued to improve a year after a failed attempt to place the institution under administration.
Monday, 27 October 2025, marked just over a year since the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria stopped the then Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation from placing Unisa under administration. The court ruling followed an urgent application by the university’s Council and Management, which argued that the minister’s move was premature and based on a flawed report.
Unisa’s leadership said the decision to challenge the minister’s move in court was meant to protect the university’s governance, academic integrity and the rights of its staff. The institution maintained that its finances were stable and that its academic and research programmes were not at risk.
Since then, Unisa says it has continued to record improved performance across a range of indicators. It said the latest university performance reports for 2025 show significant growth in both academic output and global rankings.
According to the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings for 2025, Unisa’s overall score on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) rose to 66.3 from 65.3 in 2024. The university performed strongly in three key SDG categories — Decent Work and Economic Growth, Quality Education and Gender Equality — scoring in the top quartile worldwide. Unisa was ranked seventh among the 13 South African universities listed in the 2025 rankings.
Unisa says it also improved in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings indicators. Its research environment rating increased from 13.8 to 17.8, and its research quality score rose from 48.1 to 51.0. In terms of publication output, the university moved from position eight in 2022 to position six in 2023.
The 2025 Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), released on 15 August 2025, placed Unisa among the top eight universities in South Africa and within the top 1000 universities worldwide. The ranking recognises research excellence, academic output and the impact of publications.
The institution also reported progress in graduate output. Unisa continues to play a major role in the higher education sector, producing about 50 000 graduates each year, which represents roughly a third of all graduates in the South African university system. In 2025 alone, around 65 000 students graduated through Unisa, including 512 doctoral and 922 master’s graduates.
The university also confirmed that it has maintained unqualified audit opinions since 2018. This, it said, demonstrates adherence to principles of financial accountability, good governance and transparent management practices.
Unisa management said these results show that the university’s academic programmes, research efforts and financial governance remain strong and stable. The institution credited the dedication of its staff, leadership and academic community for sustaining its progress despite challenges.
The university also acknowledged the support it received from stakeholders and the broader academic community during the period of uncertainty following the attempted administration. It said their continued confidence in the institution had allowed it to focus on academic delivery and institutional improvement.
“Unisa leadership paid tribute to members of its Council and management for steering the university through a difficult period. It recognised the contribution of the former Chairperson of Council, James Maboa, and the current Chairperson, Dr Dan Mosia, for their guidance and commitment. The Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, was also acknowledged for her leadership in ensuring the university’s academic and administrative stability,” said the university.
Unisa says it remains committed to strengthening its research, innovation and teaching standards while advancing access to higher education for students across South Africa and beyond. It said it will continue to align its institutional goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to promote social and economic transformation through education.
Unisa’s improved performance comes at a time when South Africa’s higher education sector continues to face challenges of funding, governance and transformation. Despite these pressures, the institution said it remains focused on delivering quality education and maintaining its position as one of the leading open distance learning institutions on the continent.
