Higher Education for a Green Future: The UI GreenMetric Encourages Collaboration in Science and Innovation Toward Green Jobs
Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a global agenda that demands concrete action from all levels of society, including higher education. Institutions play a strategic role in integrating sustainability values into education, research, and community service. This approach encourages universities not only to produce academically superior graduates but also to shape a generation sensitive to environmental, social, and economic issues that are key challenges of the 21st century.
In line with this, the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking (UI GreenMetric WUR) serves as an international instrument that encourages universities worldwide to strengthen their commitment to sustainability. One of the six main assessment indicators is Education and Research, where the UI GreenMetric emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary curriculum development, innovative research, and the tangible contributions of graduates in the green sectors. Therefore, through this ranking, higher education institutions are ranked not only on their academic merit but also on their ability to be drivers of sustainable development.
Multi-, Inter- and Transdisciplinary Integration in Learning, Research and Inovation
Tackling today’s biggest sustainability challenges, such as climate change, public health crises, and poverty, requires more than just expertise in one field. Universities need to move beyond siloed ways of thinking and embrace more connected, collaborative approaches. As highlighted by UNESCO at the 3rd World Higher Education Conference (2022), higher education should bring together science, technology, the social sciences, and the humanities to create learning experiences that cut across disciplines. When students learn to think this way, they’re not just gaining knowledge. They’re becoming problem-solvers who are ready to take real action on global issues and help drive progress on the SDGs.
Research and innovation play a critical role in driving sustainable development. UI GreenMetric encourages universities to focus their research on pressing global challenges—like renewable energy, green technology, and climate resilience. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, higher education institutions can go beyond academic publications and generate real-world solutions that benefit governments, industries, and communities, advancing progress toward the SDGs.
The UI GreenMetric WUR, through its sixth indicators, serves as a strategic guideline for HEIs to take concrete steps, starting with establishing a strategic guideline for HEIs to take concrete steps, starting with establishing a strategic direction for the sustainability of the academic community. This indicator is then broken down into several sub-indicators that provide a measurable picture of the extent to which aspects of sustainability-oriented education and research have been integrated across campuses. Sub-indicator 6.1 (ED 1) in the UI GreenMetric WUR identifies the ratio of the number of sustainability courses offered by a university to the total number of courses offered. Sub-indicator 6.2 (ED 2) identifies the ratio of sustainability-related research funding to total research funding at higher education institutions. Furthermore, sustainability achievements are also reflected in academic contributions through publications. Sub-indicator 6.3 (ED 3) identifies the ratio of sustainability-related publications to total publications at higher education institutions.
The graph shows the increasing performance trend across the three Education and Research sub-indicators (ED 1, ED 2, ED 3) of the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking from 2021 to 2024. Sub-indicator ED 1 (sustainability courses) shows a consistent increase from approximately 59 points in 2021 to nearly 65 points in 2024. Sub-indicator ED 2 (sustainability research funding) also experienced steady growth, from 59 points in 2021 to approximately 64 points in 2024. Meanwhile, ED 3 (sustainability publications) shows the most significant increase, from 62 points in 2021 to nearly 68 points in 2024.
Overall, this graph illustrates the growing commitment of higher education institutions to expanding sustainability-related education, research, and publications over the past four years. The positive performance in the sixth indicator of the UI GreenMetric WUR indicates that universities are increasingly serious about integrating sustainability into education, research, and innovation. The increasing trend in courses, research funding, and publications related to sustainability is clear evidence that the transformation toward a multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary approach is not just a discourse but has been realized in academic practice. This strengthens the role of HEIs as catalysts for global change, while ensuring that the contributions of academics align with the SDGs agenda to realize a more sustainable future.
Producing Graduates Ready to Compete in the Green Jobs Sector
Beyond education and research, one important indicator of a university's success is the contribution of its graduates to the workforce. Currently, the need for professionals in the green jobs sector is increasing with the transition to a low-carbon economy and green industry. Universities must required to equip students with relevant competencies, ranging from environmental literacy and green technology skills to innovation and networking skills. Through internship programs, green business incubators, startups, and collaborations with sustainable industries, universities can ensure that their graduates are not only ready to compete in the global job market but also become pioneers of change toward a more equitable and environmentally friendly society.
The latest sub-indicator in the UI GreenMetric WUR 2025, the percentage of graduates employed in green jobs in the past three years, serves as a crucial benchmark that underscores the direct link between academia and the world of sustainable work. Higher education institutions are assessed not only by their ability to deliver sustainability-oriented education, but by the extent to which their graduates contribute significantly to the transformation of the green economy. Therefore, a more integrated strategy is needed, from aligning the curriculum with the needs of the green industry to providing career paths that support students in pursuing sustainable professions.
Industry involvement in the educational process, collaborative projects, and applied research will strengthen students' readiness to face the challenges of an increasingly competitive green job market. Furthermore, this indicator also encourages universities to develop sustainable ecosystems within their own campuses, so that students become accustomed to applying green principles from the beginning of their studies. Thus, graduates are not only competently prepared but also possess a strong sustainability mindset. This ensures that their contributions to the green job sector will have a broad impact, both locally and globally, in line with the SDG agenda.
As universities deepen their role in advancing sustainability through education, research, and green job development, the need for global collaboration and measurable action becomes even more urgent. That’s where UI GreenMetric comes in—not just as a ranking, but as a platform for shared learning, benchmarking, and driving real change across campuses worldwide.
At UI GreenMetric, we believe that higher education must lead the charge toward a greener, fairer future. If your university is ready to strengthen its role in achieving the SDGs—through innovation, collaboration, and preparing graduates for the green economy—now is the time to act.
Data collection for UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2025 is still open and will continue until 31 October 2025. To learn more about how your institution can participate, visit: https://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/about/how-to-participate