Australian eco-universities top the class in world rankings
Aussie universities are leading the world, a report card has revealed. Here’s why they’re having a global impact.
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Clean and green Australian universities lead the world in environmental research and campaigns, a new global report card reveals.
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for 2021, released in London, list four Australian unis in the top 10 out of 1240 universities rated worldwide in terms of work towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Twenty-four Aussie universities are among the top 200 globally.
The University of Sydney is the world’s second-best university in terms of sustainability, behind the top-ranked University of Manchester.
RMIT University came third, La Trobe University fourth, and the University of Wollongong equal sixth with Aalborg University in Denmark.
The University of Newcastle ranked at 12, with Western Sydney University at 17 and Monash University at 18.
In Queensland, the University of the Sunshine Coast was ranked 26, with Griffith University 38, the Queensland University of Technology 43 and James Cook University 91 in the world.
The Australian Catholic University came 54, the University of Canberra 57 and the University of Tasmania 76.
Deakin University was ranked at 79, Macquarie at 82 and the University of NSW at 96 worldwide.
Sydney Uni also topped the class for clean water and sanitation – which includes research as well as the university’s own water use – with the University of Wollongong ranked third.
The university rankings are based on the United Nation’s 17 sustainable development goals, which range from conservation research to energy-efficient buildings, recycling and policies on academic freedom.
Universities were also rated on financial assistance to students, gender equality, clean energy, income from patented research and plans to reduce the use of plastic on campus.
University of Sydney vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Garton said the top effort reflected the uni’s mission of “leadership for good’’.
He said the university had targets of net zero carbon emissions and zero waste to landfill, as well as a 30 per cent reduction in potable water use, by 2030.
He said 174 researchers were working on clean water and sanitation projects.
The University of Canberra topped the world in the category of “reduced inequalities’’, which includes the percentage of students and staff with disabilities, and the number of international students from poorer countries receiving financial aid.
La Trobe University, followed by the University of Sydney, were the best two unis worldwide for supporting the sustainability of “life on land’’, including research and direct action to protect ecosystems.
The University of Newcastle was the world leader in government and international collaboration to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals.
The University of Canberra was ranked fifth, and the University of South Australia 19th, for the UN’s target of quality education, which includes the number of graduates with primary school teaching qualifications, and the proportion of students who are the first in their family to attend university.
La Trobe University ranked second in the world for “decent work and economic growth’’, based on pay rates, discrimination policies and the number of staff on contracts longer than two years.
It also ranked second for gender equality, measured on research outcomes as well as the proportion of female graduates and women in senior staff positions.
La Trobe University vice-chancellor Professor John Dewar said this reflected the uni’s track record in recruiting women to senior leadership roles, and making higher education more accessible to women.
He said La Trobe researchers were finding better ways to produce high-quality foods and medicines while reducing environmental impact.
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Originally published as Australian eco-universities top the class in world rankings
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