University of Nairobi Enters Top 1,000 in QS World Rankings 2025
UoN is now positioned in the 909-950 range among 1,500 global institutions, an improvement from its previous ranking in the 1,000-1,200 band since 2022.
This advancement is attributed to improvements in several key categories: employment outcomes, academic reputation, international research, and faculty-student ratio.
Key Rankings and Indicators
Employment Outcomes:
- The highest-ranking indicator for UoN was employment outcomes, which increased by 92.5% and placed the university in the 251-300 band.
Academic Reputation:
- The academic reputation saw a slight increase from 9.6% in 2023 to 10% currently.
Employer Reputation:
- In the employer reputation category, which evaluates employers’ views of graduates, UoN experienced a 2.9% decline to 11.7% from 14.6% the previous year.
Citations per Faculty:
- An improvement was noted in citations per faculty, which stood at 20.1%, placing UoN in the 1,051-1,100 range. This metric measures the average number of citations per faculty member, showcasing the university’s research impact.
International Research Networks:
- UoN scored 50.1% in international research networks, indicating the richness and diversity of its research partnerships.
Sustainability:
- Despite being a leader in promoting sustainability, UoN’s lowest score was in this category, at 1.8%.
Regional and Global Context
Kenyan Institutions:
- Last year, UoN was ranked 1,425 out of 2,000 institutions by the Centre for World University Ranking, making it the only Kenyan university listed. Kenyatta University, which entered the rankings last year, has maintained its position in the 1,201-1,400 range, with employment outcomes as its highest indicator.
African Institutions:
- South African universities hold the top four positions on the continent, with the University of Cape Town being the highest-ranked at 171 globally, an improvement by two places. Cairo University in Egypt ranks fifth in Africa, at 350 globally.
Global Top Five:
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained the top global position for the thirteenth consecutive year. Imperial College London advanced to second place, followed by the University of Oxford and Harvard University in third and fourth positions, respectively. The University of Cambridge completes the top five.
This ranking is the first to integrate sustainability and employability as key factors in its methodology. Since 2024, the ranking group has added a five percent weighting to sustainability, underscoring the significant role universities play in driving sustainable change.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) has entered the top 1,000 universities globally according to the QS World University Rankings 2025, marking a continued rise in international academic standings.
UoN is now positioned in the 909-950 range among 1,500 global institutions, an improvement from its previous ranking in the 1,000-1,200 band since 2022. This advancement is attributed to improvements in several key categories: employment outcomes, academic reputation, international research, and faculty-student ratio.
Key Rankings and Indicators
Employment Outcomes:
- The highest-ranking indicator for UoN was employment outcomes, which increased by 92.5% and placed the university in the 251-300 band.
Academic Reputation:
- The academic reputation saw a slight increase from 9.6% in 2023 to 10% currently.
Employer Reputation:
- In the employer reputation category, which evaluates employers’ views of graduates, UoN experienced a 2.9% decline to 11.7% from 14.6% the previous year.
Citations per Faculty:
- An improvement was noted in citations per faculty, which stood at 20.1%, placing UoN in the 1,051-1,100 range. This metric measures the average number of citations per faculty member, showcasing the university’s research impact.
International Research Networks:
- UoN scored 50.1% in international research networks, indicating the richness and diversity of its research partnerships.
Sustainability:
- Despite being a leader in promoting sustainability, UoN’s lowest score was in this category, at 1.8%.
Regional and Global Context
Kenyan Institutions:
- Last year, UoN was ranked 1,425 out of 2,000 institutions by the Centre for World University Ranking, making it the only Kenyan university listed. Kenyatta University, which entered the rankings last year, has maintained its position in the 1,201-1,400 range, with employment outcomes as its highest indicator.
African Institutions:
- South African universities hold the top four positions on the continent, with the University of Cape Town being the highest-ranked at 171 globally, an improvement by two places. Cairo University in Egypt ranks fifth in Africa, at 350 globally.
Global Top Five:
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained the top global position for the thirteenth consecutive year. Imperial College London advanced to second place, followed by the University of Oxford and Harvard University in third and fourth positions, respectively. The University of Cambridge completes the top five.
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This ranking is the first to integrate sustainability and employability as key factors in its methodology. Since 2024, the ranking group has added a five percent weighting to sustainability, underscoring the significant role universities play in driving sustainable change.
University of Nairobi Enters Top 1,000 in QS World Rankings 2025
