December 11, 2024

UOW ranked among world’s best for environmental and social impact

QS Sustainability Rankings 2025 place UOW 98th globally and 13th in Australia

The University of Wollongong (UOW) has been named among the top 100 universities in the world for environmental and social impact in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2025.

Released today (10 December 2024) by higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, UOW placed 98^th globally and 13^th in Australia. The 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings assessed 1744 universities across 107 countries and territories, including 38 institutions in Australia.

UOW Interim Vice-Chancellor and President Professor John Dewar AO said the University has reduced its carbon footprint through educational, engineering and purchasing improvements.

“The University of Wollongong’s commitment to sustainability is about creating real, lasting impact,” Professor Dewar said.

“We are equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to tackle global challenges. We are driving research and industry collaborations to combat climate change, preserve biodiversity, and create a more equitable world. And we are working with our communities to build a more sustainable future.

“These achievements are collective effort of our students and staff who are dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the world.”

The QS Sustainability Rankings evaluate the social and environmental impact of universities as centres of education and research, as well as a major employer with the operational sustainability challenges of any large and complex organisation.

The methodology measures universities performance across three assessment categories:

• Environmental Impact (aggregating three indicators: Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Education and Environmental Research);
• Social Impact (aggregating five indicators: Equality, Knowledge Exchange, Impact of Education, Employability and Opportunities, and Health and Wellbeing);
• Governance (considering factors related to good governance: ethics, hiring practices, transparency and decision making).

Globally, UOW ranked 36 for Governance, 71 for Social Impact and 153 for Environmental Impact.

Other highlights include the Impact of Education indicator, where UOW rose 69 places and is now ranked equal 20th globally, and the Environmental Education indicator where moved up 11 places to equal 86th in the world.

Earlier this year, UOW’s sustainability achievements were highlighted in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, where the University ranked 44th globally for its contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UOW became a signatory to the University Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2019 and embedded the goals in its 2020 - 2025 Strategic Plan.

Researchers at UOW remain focused on delivering education and research that help solve some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges, ensuring a better future for generations to come.