Julius Kiprop
- Embu University is Kenya’s top-ranked institution in the Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings 2024.
- The University of Nairobi (UoN) ranks eighth locally, behind Strathmore, Mount Kenya, and USIU.
- Rankings assessed financial stability, teaching quality, workforce readiness, and societal impact.
- Kenya ranked third overall in country performance, trailing South Africa and Ghana.
The Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings 2024, released by Times Higher Education, have stirred the academic landscape in Kenya. Embu University has emerged as the country’s leading institution, with UoN notably slipping to eighth place.
Top Kenyan Institutions
Embu University outperformed its peers, securing the top spot in Kenya. Strathmore University, Mount Kenya University, and USIU followed closely, with Kibabii University rounding out the top five.
Murang’a University, Kabarak University, and UoN occupied the sixth, seventh, and eighth positions, respectively. Kabianga and Lukenya Universities completed the top ten.
Ranking Criteria
The rankings evaluated 129 universities from 22 African countries using several metrics:
- Financial stability and resource allocation.
- Teaching quality and faculty-to-student ratios.
- Graduate employability and workforce readiness.
- Ethical leadership and societal impact in Africa.
Regional and Continental Highlights
South Africa dominated the regional rankings, with the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria, and the University of Witwatersrand claiming the top three spots.
Kenya ranked third in overall country performance with 54 points, behind South Africa (65) and Ghana (57).
Implications for Kenya
Kenya’s strong performance underscores the country’s growing role in Africa’s higher education sector. The rankings highlight the need for established institutions like UoN to innovate and improve to remain competitive.
The 2024 rankings reaffirm the rising prominence of Kenyan universities, with Embu and Murang’a leading the way. As Kenya continues to gain recognition regionally, the challenge remains for all institutions to enhance their global competitiveness.
