PeopleofSuperintelligence

University, South Africa

Stellenbosch University

Includes Stellenbosch Business School.

Statistics

People here now
8
People ever
10
Citations of current people
24,607
Median h-index of current people
27
Full moves in and out
5 in, 3 out

Our research follows 7,547 researchers, builders, lab leaders and public voices through cited biographies. Missing career records can lower counts. Outdated roles can overstate current counts and change ranks. Citation figures count 3 of the 8 people here now. People whose OpenAlex record may be incomplete or mixed are left out. Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026. Career and profile data as of 22 October 2026.

We estimate that 10 people shaping AI have worked or studied at Stellenbosch University, including 8 (80%) here now and 2 with former affiliations. That total covers 9 people with work roles and 1 recorded only as a student (3 both studied and worked here). Its tracked sub-organization is Stellenbosch Business School (1 ever, 1 now). Among 3,127 universities, the group is tied for 111th on current people and tied for 373rd on all-time people. “Language and speech”, “Robotics and autonomous systems” and “Knowledge, logic and reasoning” lead 7 areas of expertise (2 each of 10 people with profile topics), and researchers make up 8 of the 8 people here now (100%). In dated work stints through 2025, active headcount stood at 3 people in 2015–2017, 2019 and 2022–2025. Across dated career transitions, we record 5 full moves in and 3 out.

Researchers make up 8 of the 8 people here now (100%), and “ai ethics” leads profile topics (2).Roles, current affiliations, profile topics, and recorded birth countries (1 known) and birth years (1 known) for the 8 people here now.

A summary of current people at Stellenbosch University. It shows roles, affiliations, profile topics and birth countries known for 1 person. The median birth year uses 1 person.

Role categories

  • Research8

Current affiliations

  • Stellenbosch University7
  • Stellenbosch Business School1

Top profile topics

  • ai ethics2
  • automata theory1
  • automated software engineering1
  • computational intelligence1
  • data fusion1

Birth countries

Known for 1 of 8 people now.

  • Italy1

Median birth year

1961 (1 person)

Source: People of Superintelligence profiles, current career records and recorded birthplaces, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
MeasureValuePeople
RoleResearch8
Current affiliationStellenbosch University7
Current affiliationStellenbosch Business School1
Profile topicai ethics2
Profile topicautomata theory1
Profile topicautomated software engineering1
Profile topiccomputational intelligence1
Profile topicdata fusion1
Birth countryItaly1
Birth country coverage1 of 8 people now1
Median birth year19611

The annual headcount series runs through 2025 (3 active work stints); the 8 people here now also include 4 whose current role has no recorded start year. Full arrivals outnumbered full departures by 2 (5 in vs. 3 out): arrivals came 5 from universities (100%), while departures went 2 to universities (67%) and 1 to labs, nonprofits or government. We also record 3 arrivals and 1 departure where a person added a role alongside an existing position. Today, 2 of the 2 people formerly at Stellenbosch University have a recorded current affiliation elsewhere (2 at universities).

Active work stints stood at 3 people in 2015–2017, 2019 and 2022–2025.Annual estimates from 2015 through 2025. Each person counts once per year with a dated work stint; degrees and undated roles are excluded.

A stacked column chart of our yearly estimates at Stellenbosch University from 2015 to 2025. Each person counts once in each year with an active work stint.

Source: People of Superintelligence dated career stints, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
YearOtherPeople
201533
201633
201733
201822
201933
202022
202122
202233
202333
202433
202533
We record 5 full arrivals from 5 organizations and 3 full departures to 3, with 1 move per route.Full moves into (5) and out of (3) Stellenbosch University, grouped under top-level organizations. Excludes 4 roles added alongside an existing position. Smaller routes are grouped as Other. universitiescompaniesinstitutes and labs

A three-column flow diagram. People came from organizations on the left, Stellenbosch University is in the middle, and destinations are on the right. It shows 5 incoming and 3 outgoing full moves.

Source: People of Superintelligence career records with full moves only, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
DirectionOrganizationFull moves
FromTexas A&M University1
FromUniversity of Edinburgh1
FromUniversity of Pretoria1
FromUniversity of Southampton1
FromUtrecht University1
CenterStellenbosch University5 in, 3 out
ToAutomated Software Engineering1
ToBielefeld University1
ToUniversity of South Africa1
From 2023 to 2026, 4 people joined and 1 left, a net gain of 3.Latest recorded transition per person, 2023–2026 (5 full moves and 0 roles taken alongside existing work).

A list of people who joined or left Stellenbosch University from 2023 through 2026, with the year and move type.

Joined

Left

  • Bernd Fischer 2026 · to Automated Software Engineering · Full move

Source: People of Superintelligence career moves, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
YearPersonDirectionOther organizationMove type
2026Andries Petrus EngelbrechtJoinedUniversity of PretoriaFull move
2026Brink van der MerweJoinedTexas A&M UniversityFull move
2026Cindy FriedmanJoinedUtrecht UniversityFull move
2026Fabio TollonJoinedUniversity of EdinburghFull move
2026Bernd FischerLeftAutomated Software EngineeringFull move

Compared with peer universities, Stellenbosch University ranks higher on current headcount (tied for 111th of 3,127) than on all-time headcount (tied for 373rd); 8 of its 10 all-time people (80%) hold a current role here. Across work histories (excluding degrees), 8 of the 9 people who have worked at Stellenbosch University (89%) also held a work role at another organization, connecting Stellenbosch University to 20 peer institutions. Among the 3 current people with confident OpenAlex author records, combined citations reach 24,607 and the median h-index is 27 (combined h-index 86, tied for 363rd among 860 counted universities); Francesco Petruccione leads by citations (21,834).

Among 3,127 universities, Stellenbosch University is tied for 111th on current people (8) and tied for 373rd on all-time people (10).Standing across all organizations and organizations of the same type on current people, all-time people and combined h-index of current people. Ties share a rank.

A table compares Stellenbosch University with 8827 organizations and 3127 organizations of the same type for current people, people ever and combined h-index where available.

People now

8 people

tied for 161st of 8,827 organizationstied for 111th of 3,127 universities

People ever

10 people

tied for 544th of 8,827 organizationstied for 373rd of 3,127 universities

Combined h-index of people now

86 across 3 people

tied for 543rd of 1,834 organizationstied for 363rd of 860 universities

Source: People of Superintelligence organization membership and confident OpenAlex statistics, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
MeasureValueAll organizationsSame type
People now8tied for 161st of 8,827tied for 111th of 3,127
People ever10tied for 544th of 8,827tied for 373rd of 3,127
Combined h-index of people now86 (3 people)tied for 543rd of 1,834tied for 363rd of 860
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, University of Pretoria and University of South Africa share the largest career overlap with Stellenbosch University: 2 people each.Organizations where people with work records at Stellenbosch University also worked at any time in their careers (8 people across 20 organizations; degrees excluded).

A ranked chart shows 5 organizations with people who also have work records at Stellenbosch University. Each count is a distinct person with work stints at both organizations.

Source: People of Superintelligence affiliations and work stints, as of 22 October 2026.

Data table
OrganizationShared people
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research2
University of Pretoria2
University of South Africa2
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences1
Automated Software Engineering1

People here now

All 8 people with a current role at Stellenbosch University are researchers. Earlier in their careers, 5 of the 8 held a work role at another organization, most often at University of South Africa (2). 2 of the 8 current people also earned a degree at Stellenbosch University. 6 current people also hold a concurrent affiliation outside Stellenbosch University.

People with former affiliations

We record 2 people with former affiliations at Stellenbosch University: 1 who held a work role and 1 recorded as a student only. 2 of the 2 have a recorded current role at another organization (North-West University and University of California, Berkeley). The 1 former person with a confident OpenAlex record has 49,016 career citations (h-index 21).

Posts that include Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University appears in 2 research posts comparing organizations across AI.

  1. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIWe estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionWe estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.