Kenyatta University has once again outshone the University of Nairobi (UoN) in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, released on Thursday, October 9.
The 2026 rankings evaluated 2,191 universities across 115 countries and territories, measuring their performance in areas such as education quality, research, and overall societal impact.
According to the report, Kenyatta University surpassed UoN in key indicators, including good health and well-being, learning experience, financial sustainability, and research excellence.
Kabarak University secured the fifth position nationally, followed by Karatina, Kibabii, and Machakos Universities, which ranked sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively.
Mount Kenya University was placed ninth, while Murang’a University of Technology and Riara University took the tenth and eleventh spots.
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On the international stage, the University of Oxford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took the first and second positions, respectively. Princeton University and the University of Cambridge tied for third, while Harvard and Stanford Universities shared fifth place.
The California Institute of Technology ranked seventh, with Imperial College London and the University of California, Berkeley following in eighth and ninth positions.
Among the top ten global institutions, seven were from the United States, and three hailed from the United Kingdom, reaffirming the dominance of the two nations in higher education excellence.
“We used 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments,” read part of a statement.
By Joseph Mambili
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