Makerere University has added yet another feather to its cap after being ranked second in Sub-Saharan Africa for university–industry and international engagement, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) prestigious Global Innovation Index (GII).
The ranking — based on data from Times Higher Education’s (THE) World University Rankings — assesses how universities collaborate with businesses and international partners to drive innovation, research, and socio-economic development.
Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Times Higher Education, said the indicator provides “a fresh perspective on how higher education drives innovation ecosystems.”
“This performance measure captures how universities connect with businesses and international partners, offering a new understanding of how institutions contribute to global innovation and development,” Baty noted.
According to the 2025 report, universities in high-income countries continue to dominate global innovation metrics. However, institutions in emerging economies are increasingly demonstrating world-class impact and collaboration capacity.
Among these, Makerere University stood out as a regional leader — joining the University of Rwanda and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique in the top three positions for Sub-Saharan Africa.
In other global categories, Peking University in China led among upper-middle-income nations, while University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and Sabanci University (Türkiye) topped their respective regions. For lower-middle-income countries, the American University of Beirut (Lebanon), Al Ahliyya Amman University (Jordan), and Indian Institute of Science (India) were recognised for their excellence.
Makerere’s recognition highlights its growing reputation as a hub of innovation and applied research in Africa — strengthening partnerships that bridge academia, government, and industry to advance the continent’s development agenda.
