The Ivory Tower
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Uganda’s leading academic institution of higher learning, Makerere University has issued a public statement correcting recent media claims that suggested it had plummeted sharply in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
The response follows an article published by the Daily Monitor which said that Makerere had dropped to 41st in Africa and was placed in the 1201–1500 global ranking band. But in brief statement dated July 9, 2025, THE (the organization behind the rankings) clarified that this report was inaccurate.
THE revealed that the position of “41st” was wrongly reported. It stated that Universities within the same ranking band are listed alphabetically, not by score. The article also mistakenly mixed up two different ranking systems which are THE’s World University Rankings and the Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings thus leading to more confusion about Makerere’s performance.
Following THE’s clarification, Makerere University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, reassured the public that the university remains one of the top academic institutions in Africa through a statement released on the University’s official X handle.
“According to the latest Centre for World University Rankings, Makerere is ranked 13th in Africa and 912th globally. EduRank puts us at 7th in Africa and among the top 5% globally,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
Nawangwe also highlighted the university’s strong reputation in research and health sciences, and its global recognition for progress in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
While acknowledging that factors like low international student numbers may affect some rankings, the university stressed that this does not reduce its academic excellence.
The University additionally urged the media to be more cautious and accurate when reporting on global university rankings to avoid misinforming the public.
