The University of Nairobi (UoN) has secured a position within the top 1,000 universities globally according to the recently released QS World University Rankings 2025.

This marks a continued rise in international standing for the Kenyan institution, which previously sat in the 1,000-1,200 band since 2022.

The institution's improved ranking is attributed to advancements in several key categories, including graduate employability, academic reputation, international research collaborations, and the faculty-to-student ratio.

Employability Takes Center Stage

The most significant improvement for UoN lies in the area of employment outcomes, which saw a remarkable 92.5 per cent increase, placing it within the prestigious 251-300 band.

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This indicates that employers hold UoN graduates in high regard.

Academic Reputation on the Rise

Academic reputation also witnessed a positive shift, rising from 9.6 per cent in 2023 to 10 per cent this year.

However, the employer reputation metric, gauging employer perceptions of graduates, experienced a slight decline from 14.6 per cent to 11.7 per cent.

Research Strength Shines

The university demonstrated exceptional research prowess, particularly in citations per faculty member.

This metric, positioned within the 1,051-1,100 range, reflects a high average number of citations per faculty member.

UoN boasts a strong research community, with some researchers ranking among the world's most-cited in health sciences.

International Collaboration and Sustainability Considerations

The UoN scored an impressive 50.1 per cent in the international research networks category, highlighting the richness and diversity of its research partnerships.

Sustainability, however, remains an area for improvement, with a score of only 1.8 per cent despite the university's efforts in promoting sustainable practices.

UoN Leads the Way in Kenya

The UoN is the sole Kenyan university listed in the QS World University Rankings 2025, having previously ranked 1,425th out of 2,000 institutions in the Centre for World University Ranking last year.

Kenyatta University, another Kenyan institution, maintained its position within the 1,201-1,400 band, with employability being its strongest indicator.

Global Rankings Landscape

On a global scale, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained its top position for the thirteenth consecutive year.

Imperial College London climbed to second place, while the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge rounded out the top five, respectively.

This year's QS World University Rankings are the first to incorporate both sustainability and employability as key factors, reflecting the growing importance of these aspects in higher education.

The inclusion of a 5 per cent weighting for sustainability underscores the crucial role universities play in driving a more sustainable future.