Locale determines the mission of many universities, and the Impact Rankings recognise how such diversity and community-mindedness helps to further progress towards the SDGs
June 12, 2024
Ellie Bothwell
Twitter: @elliebothwell
Source: Manish Rajput / Getty Images
Browse the full results of the Impact Rankings 2024
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One of the virtues of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings is its recognition ofthe differing missions and strengths ofuniversities.
While it uses the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, institutions donot need tosubmit data against all the goals tobe included. They need to provide information on only one SDG to join the exercise, and four SDGs (including SDG17) to be ranked in the overall table – meaning that different universities are scored based on a different set of SDGs, depending on their focus.
In this way, these rankings celebrate diversity, recognising that there is not one single definition of excellence and that it is the collective strength of the global higher education sector that will help to build a more sustainable, collaborative and global future.
This year’s results show that some university systems are emerging as leaders when it comes to particular SDGs. The UK, for example, is home to several top performers for responsible consumption and production (SDG12), while South Korea is particularly active when it comes to decent work and economic growth (SDG8). Our analysis explores the strategies behind the success of some of those beacons of excellence.
But the 17 SDGs are just one way in which the focus of universities differs when it comes to making an impact. Another way is the types of activities at institutions.
Traditionally, when one thinks of the work of universities, it is their research and teaching that first come to mind. Both of those areas are examined in the Impact Rankings, but we also measure stewardship – how universities steer their own ships in terms of sustainability – and outreach – the work that universities do with their local, regional, national and international communities.
This year, our data scientists have conducted a new analysis, exploring how performance compares across those four different pillars, at the continent, country and university levels.
There are unsung heroes that are not recognised by traditional research metrics, but are walking the talk on sustainability when it comes to their own operations and community partnerships. There are also institutions that are renowned for their research prowess but still have a long way to go when it comes to getting their own houses in order.
A Nigerian university comes out top globally for both outreach and stewardship, reflecting a broader trend of African universities rising significantly in representation and in performance in the rankings.
There has been rapid growth elsewhere, too, with 2,152 universities from 125 countries/regions featuring in this year’s tables. India is now the most-represented nation, followed closely by Turkey and Pakistan.
We are delighted that we can showcase the vital work of all these universities in these rankings, and the diverse ways that they are delivering transformational impact.
ellie.bothwell@timeshighereducation.com
Countries/regions represented in the overall Impact Rankings 2024
Country/region | Number of institutions | Top institution | Rank |
India | 96 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | =81 |
Turkey | 91 | Istanbul Technical University | 34 |
Pakistan | 89 | COMSATS University Islamabad | 201-300 |
Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology | 201-300 | ||
Russian Federation | 79 | Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University | 201-300 |
RUDN University | 201-300 | ||
Thailand | 77 | Mahidol University | =19 |
74 | Hokkaido University | =72 | |
Iraq | 71 | University of Basrah | 401-600 |
United Kingdom | 68 | University of Manchester | =2 |
56 | Ateneo de Manila University | 201-300 | |
Brazil | 55 | University of São Paulo | 101-200 |
Algeria | 54 | University of Oum El Bouaghi | 401-600 |
Uzbekistan | 53 | Alisher Navo’i Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature | 301-400 |
Spain | 52 | Polytechnic University of Valencia | 101-200 |
Rovira i Virgili University | 101-200 | ||
University of Barcelona | 101-200 | ||
University of Girona | 101-200 | ||
University of Jaén | 101-200 | ||
University of Vigo | 101-200 | ||
Taiwan | 51 | National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) | =25 |
Egypt | 46 | Ain Shams University | 201-300 |
Mansoura University | 201-300 | ||
United States | 46 | Arizona State University (Tempe) | 9 |
Indonesia | 45 | University of Indonesia | 31 |
Ukraine | 42 | Sumy State University | 201-300 |
France | 33 | Institut Agro | =21 |
Saudi Arabia | 32 | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals | =81 |
Iran | 29 | Alzahra University | 401-600 |
Iran University of Medical Sciences | 401-600 | ||
Kerman University of Medical Sciences | 401-600 | ||
28 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | 18 | |
Colombia | 27 | Del Rosario University | 301-400 |
Pontifical Javeriana University | 301-400 | ||
Kazakhstan | 26 | Al-Farabi Kazakh National University | 401-600 |
Nigeria | 26 | Afe Babalola University | 101-200 |
Poland | 25 | University of Gdańsk | 301-400 |
24 | University of Alberta | 6 | |
South Korea | 24 | Yonsei University (Seoul campus) | 11 |
Italy | 22 | University of Bologna | =67 |
21 | Western Sydney University | 1 | |
Chile | 21 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 201-300 |
Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) | 201-300 | ||
Universidad del Desarrollo | 201-300 | ||
Bangladesh | 19 | Daffodil InterNational University (DIU) | 301-400 |
Romania | 19 | University of Bucharest | 101-200 |
Greece | 18 | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | 201-300 |
Jordan | 18 | Al-Ahliyya Amman University | 201-300 |
Mexico | 18 | National Autonomous University of Mexico | 64 |
Azerbaijan | 17 | Khazar University | 601-800 |
Western Caspian University | 601-800 | ||
Portugal | 15 | University of Coimbra | 57 |
Ecuador | 14 | Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral | 201-300 |
Vietnam | 13 | Nguyen Tat Thanh University | 301-400 |
Morocco | 12 | Ibn Tofaïl University | 401-600 |
International University of Rabat | 401-600 | ||
United Arab Emirates | 12 | Al Ain University | =92 |
Hungary | 11 | University of Debrecen | 301-400 |
University of Szeged | 301-400 | ||
Czechia | 10 | Charles University | 201-300 |
10 | University of Johannesburg | =36 | |
Ghana | 9 | Kwame Nkrumah University ofScience and Technology | 101-200 |
Lebanon | 9 | American University of Beirut | 201-300 |
Holy Spirit University of Kaslik | 201-300 | ||
Peru | 9 | Pontifical Catholic University of Peru | 401-600 |
Turkmenistan | 9 | Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages | 1,501+ |
Institute of Telecommunications andInformatics of Turkmenistan | 1,501+ | ||
International University for the Humanities and Development | 1,501+ | ||
Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan | 1,501+ | ||
State Energy Institute of Turkmenistan | 1,501+ | ||
Turkmen Agricultural Institute | 1,501+ | ||
Turkmen State Architecture andConstruction Institute | 1,501+ | ||
Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management | 1,501+ | ||
Yagshigeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas | 1,501+ | ||
Finland | 8 | Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT | 101-200 |
University of Helsinki | 101-200 | ||
Germany | 8 | Free University of Berlin | 101-200 |
University of Konstanz | 101-200 | ||
8 | University of Galway | 47 | |
8 | University of Auckland | =13 | |
Palestine | 7 | An-Najah National University | 201-300 |
Sri Lanka | 7 | General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University | 601-800 |
University of Colombo | 601-800 | ||
University of Peradeniya | 601-800 | ||
7 | University of Neuchâtel | 201-300 | |
Argentina | 6 | National University of Córdoba | 201-300 |
Belarus | 6 | Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics | 1,001-1,500 |
Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno | 1,001-1,500 | ||
China | 6 | Southern University of Science andTechnology (SUSTech) | 301-400 |
Lithuania | 6 | Klaipeda University | 601-800 |
Mykolas Romeris University | 601-800 | ||
Netherlands | 6 | Delft University of Technology | 101-200 |
101-200 | |||
Tanzania | 6 | Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences | 801-1,000 |
Tunisia | 6 | University of Tunis El Manar | 101-200 |
Belgium | 5 | Université Catholique de Louvain | =67 |
Georgia | 5 | New Vision University | 801-1,000 |
Hong Kong | 5 | The Hong Kong University ofScience and Technology | =36 |
Kosovo | 5 | UBT | 1,001-1,500 |
Latvia | 5 | University of Latvia | 201-300 |
Northern Cyprus | 5 | Eastern Mediterranean University | 301-400 |
Near East University | 301-400 | ||
Slovakia | 5 | Comenius University in Bratislava | 601-800 |
Uganda | 5 | Makerere University | 601-800 |
Bulgaria | 4 | Sofia University | 401-600 |
Costa Rica | 4 | Tecnológico de Costa Rica | 401-600 |
University of Costa Rica | 401-600 | ||
Croatia | 4 | University of Split | 201-300 |
Kuwait | 4 | American University of the Middle East | 101-200 |
Oman | 4 | Dhofar University | 801-1,000 |
Paraguay | 4 | Universidad Nacional de Asunción | 1,001-1,500 |
Somalia | 4 | Abrar University | 1,501+ |
Mogadishu University | 1,501+ | ||
SIMAD University | 1,501+ | ||
Zamzam University for Science and Technology | 1,501+ | ||
Syria | 4 | Tishreen University | 801-1,000 |
Bahrain | 3 | Ahlia University | 101-200 |
Cyprus | 3 | Frederick University | 201-300 |
Dominican Republic | 3 | Universidad Iberoamericana | 801-1,000 |
Kenya | 3 | University of Nairobi | 801-1,000 |
Macao | 3 | Macao Polytechnic University | 301-400 |
Malawi | 3 | Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources | 801-1,000 |
Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) | 801-1,000 | ||
Sweden | 3 | KTH Royal Institute of Technology | =72 |
Afghanistan | 2 | Al-Taqwa University | 1,001-1,500 |
Kabul Polytechnic University | 1,001-1,500 | ||
Angola | 2 | Universidade Katyavala Bwila | 1,501+ |
Universidade Rainha Njinga a Mbande (URNM) | 1,501+ | ||
Armenia | 2 | Armenian State University of Economics | 1,001-1,500 |
Austria | 2 | Montanuniversität Leoben | 801-1,000 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | University of Mostar | 601-800 |
Brunei Darussalam | 2 | Universiti Teknologi Brunei | 801-1,000 |
Denmark | 2 | Aalborg University | 4 |
Fiji | 2 | University of the South Pacific | 601-800 |
Iceland | 2 | University of Iceland | 201-300 |
Israel | 2 | University of Haifa | =95 |
Libya | 2 | University of Benghazi | 1,501+ |
University of Zawia | 1,501+ | ||
Mauritius | 2 | University of Mauritius | 1,001-1,500 |
University of Technology, Mauritius | 1,001-1,500 | ||
Slovenia | 2 | University of Maribor | 601-800 |
Sudan | 2 | Mashreq University | 1,501+ |
National University, Sudan | 1,501+ | ||
Venezuela | 2 | Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB) | 801-1,000 |
Note: Table excludes countries with only one institution in the ranking.
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