Makerere ranks 5th in Africa

Makerere University is Africa's fifth best university, and top-most outside of South Africa, according to the latest world university rankings.

 "At number five rank according to the Times Higher Education latest rankings, Makerere remains the top university in Africa outside South Africa. We are on the move to greater heights," said the University Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe.

The survey, now in its 15th year, evaluated 1001 universities worldwide based on their teaching, research, knowledge transfers and international outlook.

Globally, Makerere ranks below the 500th position, the United States' universities dominate top slots while institutions in Italy, Spain and Canada risen. The University of Oxford was the best overall and the University of Cambridge for the second year in a row.

In Africa, South Africa produced Africa top three universities; University of Cape Town (156^th position), University of Witwatersrand(201th) and University of Kwazulu-Natal University.

Although the Makerere performance remains impressive, it dropped by one position, having ranked fourth best on the continent in last year's The Times Higher Education World University Ranking.

Yale University is the only newcomer to the top 10, joining at eighth place, up from 12th.

Tsinghua University is now the top university in Asia, after rising eight places to 22nd, becoming the first Chinese institution to lead the continent under the current methodology (since 2011). China as a whole has increased its standing, driven by improvements in citation impact.