Asia, UK shine in THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026
Times Higher Education (THE) released its Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 (previously the Impact Rankings) at the Global Sustainable Development Congress in Jakarta on 24 June.
Now offering a fee-for-service membership model, the number of institutions included, 1,603, is 715 fewer than in the Impact rankings last year and institutions are still ranked for the time being.
Still designed to showcase how institutions are working towards addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this year’s edition saw Asian, Australian, Malaysian and Canadian universities dominate with two universities each in the top 11 of the overall Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026.
However, the United Kingdom has the highest number of top 200 universities in the ratings, dominating number one spots on individual SDGs tables, with five first positions and three joint first positions. The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom is also number one overall in the ratings. The second highest ranked university is Griffith University in Australia.
Asia has the greatest representation with five universities in the global top 10 and the region accounting for more than half of the universities in the global ranking. The Philippines has the most universities in the ranking, 160, making it the global leader in terms of representation. The next best represented country in the table is India, with 110. New countries in the rankings are Mali, Nicaragua, Niger and Tajikistan.
Professor Duncan Ivison, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “I’m proud that Manchester continues to be recognised not only for the quality of our teaching and research but also for the contribution we make to addressing the challenges facing society.”
He said the recognition offered by the ratings “reflects the important role universities play in the world today. We educate people, create knowledge and bring together different perspectives to tackle difficult problems”.
He noted: “At a time of rapid technological, environmental and social change, universities have never been more important. They help prepare people for the future, advance understanding through research, and work with partners to turn ideas into real improvements in people's lives.”
Dr Julian Skyrme, the university’s executive director of social responsibility and civic engagement, said the SDGs represent “the world’s most important action plan and this assessment measures how much we’re addressing important challenges like inequality, climate change and good health.
“Through the excellent work of our students, colleagues and partners, we’re co-creating solutions to these challenges – be these on our doorstep, in Manchester or across the world”.
University World News highlighted the work of the University of Manchester in contributing to the SDGs in its Changemaker series, earlier this year, which includes an interview with Skyrme on how they use equitable local and international partnerships to make an impact.
Four broad areas assessed
The THE ratings assesses commitment to sustainability across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching based on self-submitted data from universities. While a university’s rating is based on its performance in all 17 UN SDGs, any university that provides data on SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals) and at least three other SDGs is assessed in the overall ratings.
Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said the THE ratings are “the world’s most comprehensive framework for evaluating and demonstrating universities’ deep social and economic impacts – through their contribution to all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals”.
He said universities that take part step forward to submit themselves to an “extensive and rigorous assessment” of how they are contributing to each and very one of the SDGs – through their teaching, their research, their outreach to businesses and communities, and through the stewardship of their own resources, including their estates and their people.
However, analysis by Angel Calderon in UWN suggested changes to the Impact Rankings last year came in the wake of challenges THE faced, including volatility driven by an exponential increase in the number of participating institutions last year.
Last year THE had already amended guidance limiting the assessable evidence to one piece per indicator, when previously it was two or three pieces per indicator, and needed to expand its panel of reviewers and assessment processes given the increased participation of institutions.
Writing for UWN today he says THE decided to keep the current rankings method after receiving mixed reviews from universities on whether rankings should be removed in favour of ratings for each SDG.
Asia and UK dominate global top 10
There are five Asian universities in the global top 10 with universities from the region leading on eight of the 17 SDGs. Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and India are leaders of two SDG tables, while China and Malaysia top one each. Malaysia has the highest ranked Asian institution overall, with Universiti Sains Malaysia making its first appearance in the top 10 in fifth place.
Two institutions from Malaysia enter the top 10. Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is in fifth place and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is joint seventh alongside Hokkaido University of Japan which returns to the top 10 for the first time since 2022. South Korea’s Hanyang University is in sixth place.
USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir Dr Abdul Rahman Mohamed attributed USM’s success to the collective commitment of the university community in embedding sustainability into every facet of management, education, research, campus operations, and community engagement and reinforcing its role as a transformative institution.
“This achievement reflects the strength of USM’s sustainability ecosystem, which is holistic and well-coordinated. It not only acknowledges our performance on the global stage but also demonstrates that a Malaysian university can lead the global sustainability agenda through knowledge, innovation, strategic partnerships, and impactful solutions for society,” he said.
As was the case last year, Asia is the region with the greatest representation: more than half of universities across all 18 tables are from Asia (962). The Philippines has the most universities in the overall ranking, 160. The next most engaged is India, with 110.
Canada has 20 universities in the overall ranking, and two of them are in the top 10. Canada has nine universities among the global top 100. Canada’s Queen’s University claims the top position on SDG 2 (zero hunger), while the University of Alberta shares the number one slot on SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure).
Arguably the big success story this year is the United Kingdom. Alongside the University of Manchester’s triumph as number one overall, the UK also has three universities with world-best performances on seven individual SDGs. Manchester leads or shares the top position on five SDGs; the University of Huddersfield comes out on top for two SDGS; and the University of Edinburgh shares one top position.
The United Kingdom has 27 institutions in the top 100 for SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 20 for SDG 15 (life on land). The country has the highest number of top 200 universities overall. The University of Manchester (United Kingdom) ended the four-year run in first place of Western Sydney University (Australia), climbing from number two last year to claim its second top-spot title, having last led the ranking in 2021. Meanwhile, Western Sydney University (Australia) slipped to third position. In second place is Griffith University (Australia) and Queen’s University in Canada is fourth.
Continental Europe positioned one institution in the top 10, Institut Agro, in a first for France. Two institutions from Germany share the number one slot with six others on SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure). The top 10 is completed by the University of Alberta (Canada) and National Taiwan University (NTU) (Taiwan) at joint 10th.
Anne-Lucie Wack, director general of Institut Agro, said: “Our first place in France and [continental] Europe, and 9th place globally, reflects the commitment of the entire Institut Agro community: our teachers and scientists who produce knowledge and train committed professionals, our staff who run eco-responsible campuses, our students who carry innovative and civic projects, our alumni and partners (public, private, associative, international) who transform agricultural and food production systems, supply chains and territories.
“This recognition, of which we are very proud, encourages us to go even further in our contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and our impact."
The strongest performer from the United States, Arizona State University (Tempe), is at joint 33 this year in the overall table, a huge decline from fifth last year. Yet Arizona State is the only United States institution in the top 50, and there is only one other US institution in the top 100 (Michigan State University in 80th place).
‘Diversity of success stories’
More than half of universities in the Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 are from Asia (962). The Philippines has the most institutions in the overall ranking, 160. The next most active country is India, with 110.
Europe is represented by 319 institutions in the ranking. North America has 37 representatives, and Oceania has 33. Countries with more than 50 representatives are: the Philippines, India, Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. New to the rankings this year are Mali, Nicaragua, Niger and Tajikistan. In total, 1,646 universities from 116 countries/territories were ranked across all 18 tables.
Baty noted: “It is particularly exciting to see the sheer diversity of success stories when it comes to social and economic impact: this rating system proves that excellence comes in many shapes, sizes and contexts – not just from the traditionally dominant universities of the Global North. There are examples of excellence right across the world, with notable successes to be found in abundance in all parts of the world.”
Ratings by individual SDG
Asian universities dominated the individual ratings securing eight top spots: SDG 3 – Good health and well-being; SDG 4 – Quality education; SDG 5 – Gender equality; SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy; SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth; SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 16 – Peace, justice and strong institution, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals.
For example, Mahidol University, Thailand, came top in SDG3, according to THE’s assessment, due to its:
• Impact in health research, reflecting its role as one of Asia’s leading centres for medical research and innovation.
• Contribution to producing graduates and professional personnel in medicine and public health, supporting both Thailand’s healthcare system and wider international health needs.
• Public-health service and cooperation with institutions and communities through its network of hospitals and medical centres, aimed at improving equal access to healthcare and helping build conditions that support long-term well-being in society.
European universities (including the UK) secured seven of the 17 individual ratings: SDG 1 – No poverty; SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities; SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities; SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production; SDG 14 – Life on land, and SDG 15 – Life below water.
From Oceania, Australian universities came top in three of the 17 goals including SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation, SDG 13 – Climate action, and SDG 14 – Life below water.
Canadian universities came top in two goals: SDG 2 – Zero hunger, and SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure. However, it is notable that US universities did not come top in any goal, a sharp contrast with their performance in traditional rankings where they dominate.
Unlike last year’s Sustainability Impact Rankings, where African universities took two top spots (SDG 1 – No poverty, and SDG 4 – Quality education) in this year’s Sustainability Impact Ratings they failed to secure a top spot in any of the 17 goals. Similarly, Latin American universities also did not come top in any goal.
Results for each of the 17 SDGs:
• SDG 1 – No poverty – University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)
• SDG 2 – Zero hunger – Queen’s University (Canada)
• SDG 3 – Good health and well-being – Mahidol University (Thailand)
• SDG 4 – Quality education – Lingnan University Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
• SDG 5 – Gender equality – Manipal Academy of Higher Education (India)
• SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation – RMIT University (Australia)
• SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy – Lovely Professional University (India)
• SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth – Korea University (South Korea)
• SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure – City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Harbin Institute of Technology (China); University of Alberta (Canada); University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom); University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany); University of Manchester (United Kingdom); University of Stuttgart (Germany); Yonsei University (Seoul campus, South Korea)
• SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities – University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)
• SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities – University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
• SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production – University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
• SDG 13 – Climate action – University of Tasmania (Australia)
• SDG 14 – Life below water – Griffith University (Australia); University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
• SDG 15 – Life on land – University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
• SDG 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions – Thammasat University (Thailand)
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals – Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia)
The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Universities are ranked across 18 tables: one overall ranking and 17 tables representing each individual SDG.
A university’s total score in a given year is calculated by combining its score in SDG 17 with its best three results on the remaining 16 SDGs. This means that different universities are scored based on a different set of SDGs, depending on their focus. The score for the overall ranking is an average of the past two years’ total scores.