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Top universities in the world for global impact 2024

Explore the top 100 universities making a global impact in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 

    June 12 2024
    Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings.

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    From the crisis of plastic in the oceans to gender disparities in pay, the world’s biggest concerns are more and more in the minds of consumers and corporations. And no one understands the importance of tackling these better than universities and students.

    But which universities are incorporating these global issues into their governance? And how can we measure the real impact that universities are making on their students and their wider communities?

    Times Higher Education has put together the Impact Rankings to shine a light on those institutions that are working hard to tackle global issues such as gender inequality, quality education for all, climate change and achieving peaceful societies and economic growth

    To compile the rankings, we mapped how universities around the world are committing to the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a global call to action to tackle poverty, climate change and inequality.

    Universities were invited to submit data on how they were progressing on the SDGs. More than 2,000 universities submitted data this year across the SDGs. You can read more about the methodology here.

    This ranking is a crucial resource for students choosing universities because it moves away from assessing universities on their research output and focuses instead on the impact that universities are having on some of the world’s most pressing issues.

    Top five universities in the Impact Rankings 2024

    1. Western Sydney University

    Western Sydney University tops the ranking for the third year running.

    The university scored particularly highly for SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 15 (life on land) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production).

    The university has prioritised research in areas relating to SDG 4 (quality education), SDGs 13, 14 and 15 (relating to environment and sustainability), SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDGs 11 and 12 (sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production).

    A series of key initiatives has also been introduced on campus to increase its sustainability, including implementing a pilot solar-powered car park on the Kingswood Campus, offsetting the carbon footprint of international travel and installing more electric-vehicle charging stations on campus.

    =2. University of Manchester

    The University of Manchester takes joint second place this year.

    The UK university has demonstrated its commitment to the SDGs through a range of research institutes and centres, including the Manchester Environmental Research Institute, the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research and the Sustainable Consumption Institute, among others.

    On campus, the university has implemented the Living Campus plan, which aims to address the challenges of growing an urban campus while encouraging local biodiversity. The students’ union has also set a target for the university to become plastic-free by 2025.

    =2. University of Tasmania

    The University of Tasmania is the second university from Australia to feature in the top five of the 2024 Impact Ranking.

    It also claims first place for SDG 13 (climate action) for the second year in a row.

    The university has been carbon neutral-certified since 2016. There is also a sustainability committee made up of senior leadership and student representatives at the university. The committee aims to identify and share actions that embed sustainability into university life.

    Across campus a variety of green initiatives are under way, such as the waste-minimisation action plan and the sustainable transport plan.


    Top universities for tackling gender equality
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    4. Aalborg University

    Aalborg University in Denmark climbs five places to take fourth place this year.

    The university also claims the top position for SDG 4 (quality education).

    Students at Aalborg University can take part in megaprojects at the university that contribute towards the sustainable projects.

    The university has made a range of sustainable changes to the campus including climate-optimised buildings, free community garden, sustainable transport, cutting food waste and using biodegradable cutlery in the canteens.

    5. RMIT University

    RMIT University scores particularly highly for SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation).

    The university has a range of research projects and initiatives dedicated to working towards each individual SDG.

    Initiatives include providing free breakfasts for RMIT students to tackle food poverty, financial education for students and incorporating modules on the SDGS within degree curricula.

    A range of research initiatives are being conducted by academic staff. Some examples include exploring sustainable farming methods and how to create liveable cities.


    Impact Ranking 2024: Top 100

    Impact Rank 2024UniversityCountry/region
    1Western Sydney UniversityAustralia
    =2University of ManchesterUnited Kingdom
    =2University of TasmaniaAustralia
    4Aalborg UniversityDenmark
    5RMIT UniversityAustralia
    6University of AlbertaCanada
    7UNSW SydneyAustralia
    8Queen’s UniversityCanada
    9Arizona State University (Tempe)United States
    10University of ExeterUnited Kingdom
    11Yonsei University (Seoul campus)South Korea
    12University of GlasgowUnited Kingdom
    =13Florida International UniversityUnited States
    =13University of AucklandNew Zealand
    =13University of Technology SydneyAustralia
    =13University of VictoriaCanada
    17Simon Fraser UniversityCanada
    18Universiti Sains MalaysiaMalaysia
    =19Mahidol UniversityThailand
    =19Université LavalCanada
    =21Institut AgroFrance
    =21Western UniversityCanada
    23Kyung Hee UniversitySouth Korea
    24Macquarie UniversityAustralia
    =25Michigan State UniversityUnited States
    =25National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)Taiwan
    =25University of StrathclydeUnited Kingdom
    =28Université de MontréalCanada
    =28University of ReadingUnited Kingdom
    30McMaster UniversityCanada
    31University of IndonesiaIndonesia
    32Monash UniversityAustralia
    33King’s College LondonUnited Kingdom
    34Istanbul Technical UniversityTurkey
    35York UniversityCanada
    =36Durham UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =36The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong
    =36University of JohannesburgSouth Africa
    =39Bournemouth UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =39Kyungpook National UniversitySouth Korea
    =39University of NewcastleAustralia
    42University of PretoriaSouth Africa
    43Chulalongkorn UniversityThailand
    =44Manchester Metropolitan UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =44Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong
    =44University of WollongongAustralia
    47University of GalwayIreland
    =48Northumbria UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =48University of AberdeenUnited Kingdom
    50National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaiwan
    51Penn State (Main campus)United States
    =52Central Queensland UniversityAustralia
    =52Griffith UniversityAustralia
    =52University of LeedsUnited Kingdom
    =55Cardiff UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =55National Taiwan University (NTU)Taiwan
    57University of CoimbraPortugal
    =58University of CalgaryCanada
    =58University of EssexUnited Kingdom
    =58University of SheffieldUnited Kingdom
    =61Nottingham Trent UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =61University of LimerickIreland
    63University of MalayaMalaysia
    64National Autonomous University of MexicoMexico
    =65Dalhousie UniversityCanada
    =65Swansea UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =67Pusan National UniversitySouth Korea
    =67Tecnológico de MonterreyMexico
    =67Université Catholique de LouvainBelgium
    =67University College CorkIreland
    =67University of BolognaItaly
    =72Hokkaido UniversityJapan
    =72KTH Royal Institute of TechnologySweden
    =72University of LeicesterUnited Kingdom
    =75Chiang Mai UniversityThailand
    =75Massey UniversityNew Zealand
    =77Bangor UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =77Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong
    =77University of Cape TownSouth Africa
    =77University of the Sunshine CoastAustralia
    =81Amrita Vishwa VidyapeethamIndia
    =81King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsSaudi Arabia
    =81Thammasat UniversityThailand
    =81Universitas AirlanggaIndonesia
    =81University of East AngliaUnited Kingdom
    =86IMT AtlantiqueFrance
    =86University of SurreyUnited Kingdom
    88Middle East Technical UniversityTurkey
    =89University of CanterburyNew Zealand
    =89University of EdinburghUnited Kingdom
    =89University of GreenwichUnited Kingdom
    =92Al Ain UniversityUnited Arab Emirates
    =92University of BristolUnited Kingdom
    94IPB UniversityIndonesia
    =95Kyoto UniversityJapan
    =95Newcastle UniversityUnited Kingdom
    =95University of HaifaIsrael
    =95Victoria University of WellingtonNew Zealand
    99King Faisal UniversitySaudi Arabia
    100Tunghai UniversityTaiwan

    View the full Impact Ranking here


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