The National University of Rwanda (NUR) has reason to smile after it was ranked 30th out of 100 selected universities in Africa.

Webometrics, a company that ranks universities based on their web publications, technological and scientific innovations, levels of research and electronic access to scientific publications reveals that NUR’s ranking has improved by 14 positions moving from 44th at the beginning of the year to 30th.  

According to the rankings, NUR has been described as one of "the region’s ‘most improved university’ in this year’s rankings”. 

This ranking places it in the fourth position in East Africa behind the regional leaders Dar es Salaam University at 24th place, dropping two places from 22nd place in the last published rankings.

University of Nairobi maintained their position at 25th place followed by Strathmore University Nairobi, that dropped from 21st position to 29th in the most recent rankings. Egerton University moved one place up from 33rd place to 32nd.

NUR’s improved ranking has been linked to the new dynamic website it launched recently together with a new logo and mission. 

The website that is predominantly green in color has aspects like student’s welfare, core values, community welfare, a feedback forum and other interactive features.
Commenting on the Webometrics ranking, the NUR Public Relations’ Officer, Sam Mandela, said, "This good ranking is timely and an indication of the improved performance of the university.

It (website) is the ultimate platform that positions our university to prove its dominance in the country and region.” 

A recent media report equally described the website as offering "a new look and feel” to the country’s oldest university.

"I’m not surprised by the good ranking since this website is user-friendly,” observed Kaze Kennedy, attached to the Rwanda Development Gateway Centre that developed the university website.

According to Webometrics, the ranking of universities is geared at motivating both institutions and scholars to have a web presence that accurately reflects their activities.

"If the web performance of an institution is below the expected position of their academic excellence, university authorities should reconsider their web policy and promote substantial increases of the volume and quality of their electronic publications.

These metrics, according to the company, can be used as indicators of the societal impact and prestige of universities
The only other Rwandan institution on the list is Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) that is trailing at 98th position, only two places from the bottom. 

Analysts believe this poor performance is connected to KIST’s static website that is rarely updated, on top of lacking relevant links and content. 

It’s quite unfortunate that a university that is supposed to be the country’s flag-bearer in technology and science even lacks the most basic necessities like a dynamic and updated website.

One of the worst regional performers is Makerere University now ranked 59th out of the top 100 in Africa, falling 12 places from its earlier position of 47th place, held in January 2008.

Makerere remains the only Ugandan university that features on the list after the Uganda Christian University, which was ranked 97th in 2007, fell off this year’s rankings.

In Africa, the University of Cape Town tops the category, but comes 385 worldwide, while other African universities included in the Webometrics rankings are Sokoine University of Agriculture (69), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (75), Moi University (81) and Kenyatta University (94).

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