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KU beats University of Nairobi, ranked best varsity in Kenya second year in a row
The main entrance to Kenyatta University along Thika Superhighway.
What you need to know:
- Egerton and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology came third and fourth, respectively, followed by Kabarak, Karatina, Kibabi and Machakos in that order.
- Globally, the University of Oxford has retained the top spot with an overall score of 98.2. It is followed closely by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 97.7
Kenyatta University (KU) has, for the second year in a row, outperformed the University of Nairobi (UoN) in several key areas of the latest global and impact rankings.
According to the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Kenyatta University demonstrated a strong performance across various indicators and impact areas, reflecting its steady progress in terms of global engagement, teaching quality, and societal contribution.
Public universities in Kenya have been facing a myriad of challenges, especially funding and staffing. The funding model that was introduced two years ago has faced resistance while lecturers only called off a nationwide strike over pay two weeks ago.
Higher education institutions are ranked based on performance indicators that are grouped into five areas: teaching (learning environment), research environment (volume, income and reputation), research quality (citation impact, research excellence and research influence), international outlook (staff, students and research) and industry (income and patents).
In all, 11 Kenyan universities have made it to the overall Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
KU outshines UoN in important indicators such as international outlook and social impact measures.
In the 2025 Impact Rankings, KU ranks 1001–1500 overall, surpassing UoN in areas like Good Health and Wellbeing (201–300), Zero Hunger (201–300), and Reduced Inequalities (201–300).
These rankings show KU’s strength in addressing societal challenges and engaging with the global academic community.
UoN, Kenya’s oldest and largest university, still leads in teaching and research scores, including Teaching (15.9) and Research Quality (39.7), and performs well in specialized fields like Medical & Health (601–800).
Despite this, the latest data confirms that KU has taken the lead in overall impact and international presence, marking another win for the university.
With over 70,000 students across 13 campuses, KU continues to expand its programs and online learning initiatives, while UoN maintains its strong academic tradition with more than 80,000 students and a vast alumni network.
KU outshone UoN in important indicators such as international outlook and social impact measures.
Egerton University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology came third and fourth, respectively.
In fifth place locally was Kabarak University, closely followed by Karatina, Kibabi and Machakos universities in sixth, seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Other institutions that also featured on the list include Mount Kenya University in ninth place, Murang'a University of Technology in tenth place and Riara University in eleventh place.
The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) has continued to make its mark in higher education through steady growth in research, innovation, and community impact.
According to the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, JOOUST secured an overall position in the 1501+ band, with notable performance in key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as No Poverty and Zero Hunger (both ranked 401–600), and Life Below Water (401–600).
These results reflect the university’s strong focus on agriculture, environmental sustainability, and the blue economy.
In addition, Egerton University appeared on the list of 1501+ band, even though it was not assigned a ranking.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, the University of Oxford has retained the top spot globally with an overall score of 98.2. It is followed closely by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at 97.7, and Princeton University, which ties for third place with an overall score of 97.2.
