Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
South Africa Highly Cited Researchers Citation Education in South Africa Rankings 2025
Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) and the list of the most cited and influential researchers cover a wide range of scientific fields, spanning 197 main and sub-disciplines, as well as the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings, offering a unique service. Additionally, the list without CERN, Statistical Data, etc., provided exclusively by “AD Scientific Index”, is part of our effort to balance the situation created by CERN and researchers with statistical data, who have an advantage over others, especially those in the social and humanities fields. There should be new regulations for multi-author and CERN papers. Citation lists also reveal many rule violations and unethical practices. See also for more specific citation analyses: Scientists Last 6 years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025 and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :1
education
curriculum
policy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,800
3,407
0.315
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
Language education
literacy education
critical literacy
discourse analysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,542
4,781
0.501
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,477
2,171
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
Physical activity
bone health
body composition
metabolic disease
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,645
4,319
0.650
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,167
5,248
0.851
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
educational technology
higher education
learning analytics
student success
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,068
4,518
0.745
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Educational technology
ICTs in education
forms of teaching & learning provision: higher education transformation
inequality
equity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,840
3,589
0.615
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,676
4,649
0.819
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
Environmental Education
Curriculum Studies
Sustainability Education
Research Methodology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,565
3,585
0.644
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,561
1,442
0.259
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
Sport Chiropractic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,006
1,466
0.293
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
education
race
south africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,962
1,717
0.346
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,959
2,334
0.471
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
educational leadership and management
financial and human resource management in education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,319
2,694
0.624
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
Facilitation of learning
research as active involvement
researcher accountabilities
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,305
1,487
0.345
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Science Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,104
2,040
0.497
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
Inclusive education
Childhood disability
Professional learning and well-being of teachers and
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,093
1,609
0.393
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,054
1,390
0.343
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
Comparative and International Education
Education
Higher Education
History of Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,746
1,849
0.494
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,680
1,584
0.430
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
Wellbeing
Positive Psychology
Sustainable development goals
Quality of Life
HIV/AIDS
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,617
1,358
0.375
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
Natural Language Processing
Machine Learning
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,583
3,455
0.964
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
scientific literacy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,543
1,119
0.316
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
Sport science
Physical Education
Epidemiology
Public Health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,118
1,288
0.413
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,081
1,695
0.550
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
87,504
303
46
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Jonathan Jansen
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,800
3,407
0.315
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
100,966
361
49
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Hilary Janks
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,542
4,781
0.501
Language education
literacy education
critical literacy
discourse analysis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
132,778
517
123
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Pam Christie
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,477
2,171
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
150,373
593
76
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Lisa Micklesfield
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,645
4,319
0.650
Physical activity
bone health
body composition
metabolic disease
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
162,368
637
13
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Diederik J Opperman
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,167
5,248
0.851
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
164,997
656
13
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Paul Prinsloo
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,068
4,518
0.745
educational technology
higher education
learning analytics
student success
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
171,503
685
164
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Laura Czerniewicz
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,840
3,589
0.615
Educational technology
ICTs in education
forms of teaching & learning provision: higher education transformation
inequality
equity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
176,375
714
90
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Catherine Draper
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,676
4,649
0.819
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
179,836
730
98
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Lesley Le Grange
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,565
3,585
0.644
Environmental Education
Curriculum Studies
Sustainability Education
Research Methodology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
179,992
733
33
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Linda Chisholm
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,561
1,442
0.259
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
199,315
820
12
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Henry Pollard
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,006
1,466
0.293
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
201,036
828
197
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Crain Soudien
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,962
1,717
0.346
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
201,143
830
73
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Relebohile Moletsane
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,959
2,334
0.471
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
229,113
957
62
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Raj Mestry
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,319
2,694
0.624
educational leadership and management
financial and human resource management in education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
229,797
959
22
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Norma Romm
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,305
1,487
0.345
Facilitation of learning
research as active involvement
researcher accountabilities
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
240,182
1,006
127
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Marissa Rollnick
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,104
2,040
0.497
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
240,840
1,011
128
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Estelle Swart
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,093
1,609
0.393
Inclusive education
Childhood disability
Professional learning and well-being of teachers and
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
242,962
1,027
129
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Brahm Fleisch
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,054
1,390
0.343
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
260,755
1,114
49
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
CC Wolhuter
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,746
1,849
0.494
Comparative and International Education
Education
Higher Education
History of Education
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
264,885
1,133
100
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Liesel Ebersöhn
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,680
1,584
0.430
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
268,747
1,147
101
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Irma Eloff
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,617
1,358
0.375
Wellbeing
Positive Psychology
Sustainable development goals
Quality of Life
HIV/AIDS
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
270,927
1,167
255
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Jan Buys
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,583
3,455
0.964
Natural Language Processing
Machine Learning
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
273,609
1,183
259
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Rudiger Christian Laugksch
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,543
1,119
0.316
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
304,915
1,349
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Abel Toriola
Tshwane University of Technology
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,118
1,288
0.413
Sport science
Physical Education
Epidemiology
Public Health
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
307,963
1,366
32
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Mellony Graven
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,081
1,695
0.550