Victoria University has ranked second among Uganda’s higher education institutions in the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Revised Institutional Ranking Report, scoring 87.4 points as it prepares to hold its 10th graduation ceremony on October 20, 2026.
The university came behind Makerere University, which scored 88.9 points, and ahead of Kampala International University, which registered 85.8 points, placing it among the country’s leading institutions in the assessment.
The ranking comes as Victoria University marks a decade of graduations, highlighting its growth in student enrolment, academic programmes and professional training.
According to the NCHE report, the university has 14,113 students enrolled across 66 academic programmes, averaging 128.7 students per programme. It was placed in the regulator’s “Leading” performance category.
The assessment considers seven key indicators: enrolment vibrancy, programme viability, graduate training strength, gender balance, participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), female participation in STEM, and curriculum relevance.
Enrolment vibrancy carries the highest weighting at 20 per cent, while programme viability, graduate training strength, gender balance and STEM participation each account for 15 per cent. Female participation in STEM and curriculum relevance contribute 10 per cent each.
The report further shows that women account for 50.1 per cent of the university’s total student population, while STEM programmes account for 52.7 per cent of enrolment. Women represent 49.2 per cent of students pursuing STEM disciplines.
The figures point to a near-equal gender balance at the institution and substantial participation in science and technology-related programmes, areas increasingly regarded as important to innovation, economic growth and the changing demands of the labour market.
Victoria University’s performance comes amid growing expectations for higher education institutions to produce graduates with relevant knowledge, practical skills and the ability to respond to evolving workplace requirements.
As universities compete to attract students and meet national development priorities, curriculum relevance, graduate training and participation in science and technology remain important measures of institutional performance.
For Victoria University, the ranking adds to the significance of its 10th graduation ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. The event marks another milestone in the institution’s development and provides an opportunity to recognise graduates preparing to enter different professional fields.
The ceremony also comes as the university reflects on its contribution to Uganda’s human resource development through academic training and professional education.
The NCHE recognition offers the institution a platform to build on its current standing through continued investment in academic quality, research, innovation and programmes that equip students with skills relevant to the economy.
As it celebrates its second-place ranking and 10th graduation milestone, Victoria University faces the task of sustaining its performance while strengthening its contribution to Uganda’s higher education sector.