Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

For Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, the new year has started on a rather brighter note following the University’s dramatic performance in global ranking of universities. In results announced last month under the Webometrics Info ranking, JKUAT has been placed in position 4791 out of 20300 world universities – registering an improvement of 2,040 positions representing 30 percent from the previous analysis taken in July 2011. JKUAT is placed at position 47 among sub Saharan Africa universities.

Research on sweet sorghum

In the results posted at the Webometrics Info, website, JKUAT took position six among Kenya’s 44 Universities sampled for the analysis that employ the use of four indicators namely; size, visibility, rich files and ‘scholar’. It is in the latter, which is a product of research in terms of papers, reports and other academic items generated where JKUAT has registered impressive improvement of close to 60 percent from the previous score. In this category, JKUAT is currently ranked 3095 globally, up from 7229 in July 2011 ranking. This is a development that reflects well on a recent policy shift adopted at the University that is intended to transform JKUAT from a teaching university to a research oriented university.

The ranking too comes as good news to the University boosting the implementation of the JKUAT Performance Contracting programme targeted to ensure JKUAT was ranked at 5000 globally an objective that has now been surpassed. Receiving the news, the vice chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga, currently in an official trip overseas congratulated the university community, Saturday February, 4 2011, for embracing ICT in the execution of their activities which she said had contributed to JKUAT global improved ranking. In a message, Prof. Imbuga, who has been instrumental in promoting the use of JKUAT website appealed to staffers, particularly faculty to foster the culture of online publications in terms of journals and proceedings.