University of Nairobi-History, Ranking, Contacts, and Programmes

University of Nairobi – The OG of Kenyan Higher Learning

Welcome to The University of Nairobi – or as the cool kids call it, UoN. Swahili name? Chuo Kikuu cha Nairobi (fancy, right?). This is Kenya’s largest, oldest, and most legendary public university – a place where dreams get degrees and history meets hustle.

A Brief (But Not So Boring) History

This academic powerhouse dates back to 1956, when it started life as the Royal Technical College. It later graduated to Royal College Nairobi in 1961 (still sounds regal), before finally becoming the University of Nairobi in 1970 after Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania decided to call off their academic group project a.k.a. the University of East Africa.

By 2023, UoN had enrolled over 49,000 students—roughly the population of a small town. That’s 35,897 undergrads and 11,003 postgrads, all grinding hard for their futures.

And if you’ve ever heard of Module 2 (aka self-sponsored programs), yep—UoN popularized it to keep up with Kenya’s booming education demand.

Did You Know?

UoN ranks #1 in Kenya, #11 in Africa, and around #1201–1500 band globally globally according to Webometrics.

It’s home to Africa’s first Confucius Institute (established in 2001 with Tianjin Normal University, China).

Its birth was aided by Gandhi Memorial Academy Society—yes, Mahatma Gandhi had a hand in this tale.

Faculties & Fields of Study

You name it, UoN teaches it:

Veterinary Medicine

Arts & Social Sciences

Law, Engineering, Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences

And yes, Built Environment & Design (for the future architects of Nairobi’s skyline)

With dozens of departments from Plant Science to Philosophy, Linguistics, Surgery, and Space Technology—it’s basically a universe of knowledge.

Departments Galore

There’s something for every brain here:

History and Archaeology (Indiana Jones would approve)

Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Computing and Informatics (where future tech titans are born)

Veterinary Pathology (for those who want to heal both humans and animals)

Let’s not forget Public Health, Gender Studies, Mathematics, and Journalism—because someone has to write witty articles like this one.

UoN Rankings

In the 2023 Times Higher Education rankings, UoN placed in the 1201–1500 global tier. Not too shabby for a university that started out offering diplomas and grew into an academic empire.

How to Reach UoN (Without Getting Lost)

Main Campus:
University Way, Nairobi, Kenya
P.O. Box 30197–00100, Nairobi

Phone: +254 20 3318262 / +254 709 924000
Email: info@uonbi.ac.ke
Website: www.uonbi.ac.ke

So whether you want to be a lawyer, veterinarian, scientist, civil engineer, or philosopher with deep thoughts, UoN is your launchpad.

University of Nairobi – A tradition of excellence. A future of endless possibilities.

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