The UB stands out in all categories of the QS ranking on sustainability
The University of Barcelona has reached the 55th place in Europe in the QS Sustainability Ranking, which evaluates a total of 556 institutions in Europe and 1,744 worldwide.
The University of Barcelona has reached the 55th place in Europe in the QS Sustainability Ranking, which evaluates a total of 556 institutions in Europe and 1,744 worldwide.
For each university, the ranking analyses the results in the categories of environmental, social and governance impact. The UB is above the global average in all three categories, each of which considers a different set of dimensions. It stands out in governance, with a score of 99.3 out of 100. In the environmental impact category, the UB scores particularly well in environmental research and, in terms of social impact, it excels in impact of education and in health and wellbeing.
The University is ranked 115th in the world and second in Spain in the ranking, now in its third edition. This year, the number of universities participating in the ranking has increased compared to last year, when 1,397 were evaluated.
The ranking is compiled based on information provided by the universities themselves and with data from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Elsevier and organizations such as UNESCO and the World Bank. The UB has provided data on sustainability, environmental education and research, equality, knowledge transfer and education, health and well-being, and governance.
This ranking aims to show how universities are tackling major environmental, social and governance challenges. It is made with evidence on the impact of graduate students in creating science and technology to solve climate-related issues, for example, or on the impact of research on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In the social impact category, the ranking assesses the universities’ efforts to improve society, whether through equality measures or through the knowledge and experience gained by students. In the category of environmental impact, it analyses the measures towards positive change for the planet, whether through research, climate policies or the contributions made by graduates to the creation of a more sustainable world. The governance category is based on the principle that good leadership and democratic processes are necessary to achieve the challenges.