Several Canadian universities have recently been recognized among the best in the world for their sustainable practices.
Times Higher Education released its 2024 ranking of universities excelling in sustainable development goals, with many Canadian institutions making it into the top 20, led by the University of Alberta.
To compile the annual list, Times Higher Education evaluated 2,152 universities from 125 countries and regions. These rankings consider scores across multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations, reflecting each institution's overall performance and impact.
Universities were ranked based on their performance across the 17 UN SDGs, which include quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and sustainable cities and communities, among others. The top spot went to Australia's Western Sydney University, which has held the position for the third year.
The University of Alberta ranked sixth among Canadian universities, excelling in SDGs such as industry, innovation and infrastructure, life below water, and partnerships for the goals.
Queen's University ranked eighth, performing best in sustainable cities and communities. The University of Victoria secured the 13th spot, while Simon Fraser University in Burnaby ranked 17th, and Université Laval in Quebec City rounded out the top 20 for Canada, landing in 19th place.
While not in the top 20, Western University (21), Université de Montreal (28), and McMaster University (30) also achieved notable rankings.
Curious about which other schools made the list? Here's the complete top 10 of global institutions pursuing sustainable development in 2024, according to Times Higher Education:
- Western Sydney University — Australia
- University of Manchester — United Kingdom
- University of Tasmania — Australia
- Aalborg University — Denmark
- RMIT University — Australia
- University of Alberta — Canada
- UNSW Sydney — Australia
- Queen's University — Canada
- Arizona State University (Tempe) — United States
- University of Exeter — United Kingdom
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
