The government’s ambition is that by 2030, Ivorian universities will credibly, sustainably, and competitively appear in regional and international rankings, reflecting the country’s true scientific potential and strengthening its status as a regional hub of academic and scientific excellence, said the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Adama Diawara.

He was speaking on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, in Grand-Bassam, at the opening ceremony of the national workshop on the ranking of Ivorian universities.

“Our goal is to ensure that in all leading international rankings, such as UniRank, we are visible and well-placed. By 2030, our universities in particular the top Ivorian university should be among the top 20 in reference rankings such as UniRank. For other rankings, we will work to improve our position,” announced Adama Diawara.

He added: “In 2025, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute (INP-HB) was ranked 27th in the Top University Rank. This means that by 2030, INP-HB should be among the top ten higher education and research institutions in Africa according to this ranking.”

The minister emphasized that the low or absent representation of Ivorian universities in major international university rankings does not reflect a lack of potential or skills, but rather structural, organizational, and strategic challenges: “University ranking governance is still in its early stages, scientific output is insufficiently valued, digital visibility is limited, academic information systems are poorly integrated, quality assurance mechanisms are fragile, and national coordination is either weak or nonexistent.”

According to him, the workshop aims to establish “a concerted and coherent policy that will enable our universities to reach the levels they deserve.”

For the minister, international university rankings such as Times Higher Education, QS World University Rankings, Shanghai Ranking, and UniRank are essential tools for evaluation, visibility, and credibility of university systems: “Ignoring them would be a serious mistake. Being subjected to them would be a weakness. Mastering them and turning them into development levers is now a national necessity.”

Organized with the technical support of the Fund for Science, Technology, and Innovation (FONSTI), the workshop featured an inaugural lecture titled “International University Rankings: Strategic Stakes for the Competitiveness and Visibility of Ivorian Universities,” delivered by the Director General of INP-HB, Abdoul Kader Diaby.

Representatives from Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal), Joseph Ki-Zerbo University (Burkina Faso), Kwame Nkrumah University (Ghana), Afe Babalola University (Nigeria), and Stellenbosch University (South Africa) were also present to share their experiences in university rankings.