Makerere University has been ranked number one in East Africa in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
On the broader African continent, the university placed 8th overall in Sub-Saharan Africa, cementing its position as one of the leading institutions outside South Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the University’s vice Chancellor announced the milestone.
“I am delighted to announce that Makerere University has been ranked #1 in East Africa in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings,” he said.
Nawangwe thanked the university’s staff, students, and partners for their contributions to teaching, research, and societal impact.
“Thank you to our staff, students and partners for their enduring commitment to excellence in teaching, research and societal impact,” he said.
Prof. Sarah Ssali, university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs), explained that the ranking evaluates institutions based on five performance indicators: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.
“Makerere’s overall score was 37.2, significantly outperforming peer institutions in the region that average scores of 18.8. In particular, Makerere University continues to thrive in research quality, where we scored 54.2%, but even better in international outlook, where we scored highest with 69.7%,” she said.
She further noted the university’s strong standing on the continent, adding that Makerere is ranked 8th in Sub-Saharan Africa, reinforcing its position as one of the leading institutions outside South Africa.
