The University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenya’s leading public university, has dropped out of the top 1,000 universities worldwide in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings.
The development marks a significant shift in the institution’s global academic standing, having previously maintained a presence in the elite category of higher learning institutions.
Recently rocked by managerial wrangles since the outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen kiama went on a terminal leave on September 2024 and financial cash flow challenges, UoN is now ranked in the 1,001 – 1,200 bracket down from its previous position of 901 – 950.
According to the 2025 rankings released this week by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), UoN no longer features among the top universities globally. The latest assessment considered over 1,500 institutions across various indicators including academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, research output, employer reputation, and internationalization.
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Academic observers have pointed to several systemic issues that could have contributed to the drop. These include declining public funding for higher education, increasing competition from emerging universities across Africa and beyond, as well as limited international collaboration and research visibility. The university has also faced persistent challenges related to staff retention and infrastructure development.
Kenya’s Ministry of Education has yet to issue a formal response to the new rankings. However, policy experts argue that the situation reflects broader challenges within Kenya’s higher education sector, including heavy reliance on government funding, lack of research investment, and the need for strategic reforms to enhance competitiveness on the global stage.
The University of Nairobi had consistently ranked among the best in sub-Saharan Africa and served as a benchmark for academic excellence in the region. Its exclusion from the top 1,000 list reflects deeper systemic challenges that must be urgently addressed.
The incoming Vice Chancellor now faces an uphill task of reviving UON back to its global academic reputation.
By Masaki Enock
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