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After a brief rise into the global top 1,000 in the QS World University Rankings released in 2024, the University of Nairobi (UoN) has slipped back out of that elite bracket in the newly released edition published in 2025.
As Kenya’s sole representative in QS’s annual list of over 1,500 institutions, UoN’s drop has set off a debate over the factors behind its sudden dip, with speculation rife on what it means for the country’s higher‑education ambitions.
UoN’s Unique Standing
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Students at UoN main campus grounds
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Since QS first began publishing comprehensive global rankings in 2004, the University of Nairobi has remained Kenya’s only entrant.
Year after year, UoN has carried the flag for Kenyan academia on the world stage, jostling side by side alongside fellow Ugandan powerhouse Makerere University.
Its occasional forays into the top 1,000 (most recently in last year's rankings, when it earned a spot in the 909 to 950 band) marked a significant breakthrough after four years of languishing in the 1,001 to 1,200 range.
A Decade of Highs and Lows
2018–2021 - UoN hovered in the 801 to 1,200 band for three straight editions, held back by middling scores in research citations and employer reputation.
2022–2024 - Incremental gains in international collaborations and academic reputation stabilised its 1,001 to 1,200 placement.
2025 - A 92 % surge in the Employment Outcomes indicator catapulted UoN into the 909 to 950 bracket, its best showing in over a decade.
2026 - This year, however, UoN falls back into the 1,001 to 1,200 band, reversing its previous climb and reigniting questions about its direction in terms of strategy.
READ ALSO: UoN students directed to pay for meals via eCitizen
What Changed in This Year's Ranking?
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University of Nairobi (UoN)
Scores That Slipped
The employer reputation score for UoN slipped slightly in the latest rankings, reversing some of the gains it had made in the previous year.
Research impact also dipped a bit. While lecturers and students are still churning out plenty of academic papers, fewer of those studies are getting picked up and cited in other works, which matters a lot when you’re up against the world’s top universities.
READ ALSO: University of Nairobi gets new Vice Chancellor after Kiama's dramatic exit
New Rules on the Block
QS has been tweaking its scoring system.
In 2023, they added a “green campus” measure, gauging how well universities undertake environmental, social and governance projects.
In 2024, they threw in “employment outcomes” as another standard of measurement. Basically, how well graduates do after leaving campus.
Small shifts in how these bits are weighted can tip the scales, especially if a university isn’t fully ready for the new criteria.
READ ALSO: Bitange Ndemo publicly rejects UoN Vice Chancellor job, here's why
Inside UoN’s Boardroom and Budgets
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UoN administration block
Behind the scenes, UoN has been juggling top leadership fights and delays in appointing key officials.
Add to that tight government funding and the odd strike, and it’s harder to plan big research projects or upgrade facilities.
READ ALSO: University announces mass layoff affecting 892 staff
Why it Matters for Kenya
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The University of Nairobi
UoN’s performance isn’t just a matter of prestige. It shapes:
Graduate employability: Employers worldwide use QS data as a shorthand for talent quality. Dips can affect student recruitment and partnerships.
International collaboration: Top‑ranking institutions attract research grants and global partnerships and slipping out of the top 1,000 can mean fewer bilateral agreements.
National image: As Kenya seeks to position itself as an educational hub in East Africa, UoN’s trajectory sends a powerful signal about the country’s innovation ecosystem.
READ ALSO: How University of Nairobi achieved top 1,000 spot worldwide
A milestone worth celebrating
UoN’s brief ascent into the QS top 1,000 in the rankings published in 2024 was a milestone worth celebrating.
Its regression in this year's rankings, however, underscores the fragility of progress in the world’s fiercely competitive academic arena.
For Kenya’s flagship university and the nation’s broader higher‑education sector, the challenge now is to translate lessons learned into a strategy that reclaims lost ground and cements UoN's place back among the world’s best.