- The University of Iceland ranks 64th among universities leading in Goal 13, which concerns climate.
- The University of Iceland has been included in Impact Rankings since the beginning
- A record number of universities evaluated or 2,500
The University of Iceland holds its place among the 201 - 300 top in the world for societal and economic impact based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in accordance with a list published by Times Higher Education. A record number of universities were ranked this year, or 2,500 in 130 countries.
The University of Iceland has been included on the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings since it was first published in 2019. The ranking evaluates how well universities perform against indicators of global social and economic impact and advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each university gets a score for its performance in connection with each of the SDGs that concern many of today’s most dire challenges. Ranking on the list is subject to the universities' performance in the three UN goals where they are strongest, as well as performance on Goal 17, partnership for the goals.
According to the new ranking the University of Iceland is doing best in SDGs concerning climate action (SDG 13), where it is ranked number 64; industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9) where it ranks among 101-200; and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) where it is ranked 201-300. The University of Iceland is also ranked 301-400 for Goal 17, resulting in this year’s overall ranking of 201-300; same place as last year. Furthermore, the University is ranked 101-200 in relation to goal 3 (good health and wellbeing), where almost 1,800 submitted information.
A total of 2,500 universities from 130 countries were evaluated to some extent by Times Higher Education as opposed to 2,100 last year. In this light, it is particularly pleasing to see that the University of Iceland has maintained its position on the list.
The THE Impact Rankings stand out from other well-known university performance tables in that they evaluate not only research, teaching and international scientific impact, but also impact on local and global communities.
The Strategy of the University of Iceland, UI26, clearly states our commitment to positively impacting local communities and focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability and Diversity are one of the four main priorities of the UI26 strategy. This means that the University will lead the way in sustainability through teaching, research, and knowledge creation, thus supporting the community and working towards sustainable and carbon-neutral university operations. The annual sustainability report, issued by the University of Iceland’s Sustainability Institute, is a part of this process. It provides insight into the many projects at the University of Iceland related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Also, it includes suggestions for improvements that could be implemented within the university.
An overview of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings can be found on their website