Makerere University has significantly improved its position in the latest Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, climbing nearly 150 places globally and two positions in Africa.
In the July 2026 Webometrics rankings, Makerere moved from 925th to 776th globally, representing an improvement of 149 positions compared to the January 2026 edition.
The university also improved its position in Africa, rising from 13th to 11th on the continent.
Makerere remains the top-ranked university in Uganda and East Africa in the latest edition.
According to Makerere University, the improved ranking was largely driven by stronger performance in the Impact Rank and Excellence Rank.
The Impact Rank assesses the number of external domains referring or linking to a university, while the Excellence Rank considers research papers among the top 10 per cent most cited within the assessed period.
Makerere’s Impact Rank improved from 1,593 to 1,185, while its Excellence Rank moved from 1,095 to 715.
Although the figures represent ranking positions rather than higher numerical scores, the movement to lower rank numbers indicates an improvement in Makerere’s standing under the respective indicators.
The latest results reinforce Makerere’s position among Africa’s leading universities and highlight the growing importance of a university’s digital footprint in global rankings.
The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities evaluates universities based on how effectively their academic, research and societal contributions are reflected online.
Makerere said it remains committed to ensuring that its work in teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer and partnerships is increasingly visible through academic journals and other digital platforms.
The university’s latest performance comes as global university rankings increasingly incorporate research visibility, online presence and the reach of scholarly work alongside traditional measures of academic performance.
Makerere’s rise to 776th globally and 11th in Africa places it among the top-performing institutions on the continent in the July 2026 Webometrics edition.
The university said it will continue strengthening its digital presence to ensure that its academic and research achievements receive greater global visibility.
