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The July 2025 edition of the Webometrics global university rankings confirms Makerere University as Uganda’s leading academic institution.
It ranked 778th globally, maintaining top positions in research excellence (1,143) and openness (1,207).
However, its impact rank, based on web visibility, stood at 1,643, suggesting the need to strengthen its online presence.
Kampala International University (KIU) emerged as the best-performing private university, placing second nationally and 1,516th worldwide.
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Its strong impact rank (1,530) reflects a solid digital presence, though its research excellence rank (3,706) remains comparatively low.
Mbarara University of Science and Technology took third place nationally and ranked 1,957th globally. While its research output remains strong, its poor impact rank of 7,151 highlights weak international online visibility.
Kabale University outperformed older public universities like Kyambogo and Busitema in both research and openness, reflecting significant progress.
Its rise likely stems from focused investment in academic publishing and digital infrastructure.
Gulu University placed fourth nationally, showing improved research and openness metrics, but continued to lag in digital presence with a high impact rank of 11,161.
Kyambogo and Busitema universities followed closely, but both underperformed in research and digital visibility, affecting their overall standings.
In the private sector, Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda Management Institute (UMI), and the Islamic University in Uganda ranked among the national top 10.
These institutions demonstrated strength in professional education and online resource availability.
Notably, UMI registered one of the best impact scores within the top 10, signalling effective digital strategy.
The Webometrics ranking evaluates institutions based on a composite score: web impact (50%), research excellence (40%), and openness (10%).
While it does not assess teaching quality or graduate employability, it remains a key benchmark for academic visibility and scholarly reach worldwide.
See the full list here