In the latest release from Times Higher Education, the most prestigious Universities in the World are in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
The ranking is based on results from an invitation-only opinion survey of 10,000 top scholars around the world.
The United States wins eight spots in the top 10, with the United Kingdom taking the remaining two.
Harvard University held on to its number one spot. The University founded in 1636 is notable as a research powerhouse.
Notable Ugandans who have attended the institution include former Vice President Specioza Kazibwe, former ICT Minister Aggrey Awori, as well as notable academics Prof. Sylvia Tamale, Prof. Joe Oloka-Onyango and Prof. Mahmood Mamdani.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is in the same state as Harvard and notable for the brilliant research scientists that graduate from the school. Dr. James Makubuya, an ethnomusicologist, taught at MIT between 1996 and 2000. NASA scientist Dr. Kwatsi Alibaruho earned a BS in Avionics from MIT in 1994.
Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley maintain a rivalry in academics and sports. Stanford and Berkely are ranked third and sixth respectively. Noted Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda and Angelo Izaama were earned year-long fellowships at Stanford, as well as inventor and biotechnologist Frederick Balagadde. Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda earned his MSc in Public Health from Berkeley.
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Arguably the world’s oldest universities, Cambridge and Oxford are the only representatives outside the United States. The British universities, jointly referred to as Oxbridge, have educated 19 British Prime Ministers, world leaders, scientist and sports personalities, to mention but a few. The current Kabaka of Buganda Mutebi II and his father, Mutesa II were both students at Cambridge, whereas Ugandan who’ve studied at Oxford include Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, poet Henry Muwanga Barlow, Buganda Attorney General in the 1960s Frederick Mpanga and Makerere law don Kabumba Businge.
Harvard’s Ivy League rivals Princeton, Yale and Columbia placed 7th, 8th and 9th respectively. Former New Vision journalist Alexis Okeowo matriculated from Princeton, and is currently a senior writer at The New Yorker. Yolisa Naluele, who is a lead research analyst at the Imperial College of London graduated from Princeton in 2010. Yale alumni in Uganda include the Executive Director of Centenary Bank Simon Kagugube, Standard Chartered’s Chairman Robin Kibuka, and former Attorney General Kiddu Makubuya. Democratic Party president Norbert Mao was a Yale Global Leadership fellow in 2003.
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Uganda’s former ambassador to the US Perezi Karukubiro Kamunanwire and Justice James Ogoola were students at Columbia. Kamunanwire got a BA in Political Science and a Masters in International Relations whereas Justice Ogoola attained a Masters in Law. Prof. Mamdani served as the Director of the Institute for African Studies at Columbia for 5 years leading upto 2004.
Rounding up the top 10 is the California Institute of Technology. Yes, the employer of Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory is notable for their Nobel laureates in the sciences and dedicated scientific research that rivals that of MIT. Amongst their Ugandan alumni are Dr. William Kalema the chairman of DFCU, Prof. Eriabu Lugujjo the Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University and Frederick Balagadde.
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