UB continues to hold steady in a global ranking of how universities stack up against a variety of United Nations sustainability measures.

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The rankings use carefully calibrated indicators to provide comprehensive and balanced comparison across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching.

For the second year in a row, UB ranks second among U.S. colleges and universities in SDG 13: Climate Action, which measures universities’ research on climate change, their use of energy and their preparations for dealing with the consequences of climate change. The list includes 735 institutions from 93 countries/regions.

The 2023 Impact Rankings is the fifth edition, and the overall ranking includes 1,591 universities — nearly 200 more than last year — from around the world. The number of participating universities has grown dramatically, making the rankings much more competitive this year, says A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

“UB is proud to again be recognized among the top universities in the world in meeting the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals,” Weber says. “UB has a long history of excellence in sustainability-related research and, as a university, we have set an ambitious goal to reach climate neutrality by 2030. I commend the work of our faculty, staff and students, whose contributions advance those efforts.”

UB also fared well in SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, ranking third among American universities in this SDG, which measures universities’ research on industry and innovation, their number of patents and spin-off companies, and their research income from industry. The list includes 873 institutions from 87 countries/regions.

“We appreciate the recognition of our climate action and sustainability work by Times Higher Education. The impact being advanced comes from a university-wide effort involving many colleagues who are doing exceptional work to not only create a top-notch public research university, but also to align it with creating the sustainable world we seek,” says Laura Hubbard, vice president for finance and administration.

In addition, UB placed among the Top 10 among U.S. colleges and universities in three other measures:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being (No. 7), which measures universities’ research on key diseases and conditions, their support for health care professions and the health of students and staff. The list includes 1,218 universities from 106 countries/regions.
• SDG 1: No Poverty (No. 8), which measures universities’ research on poverty and their support for poor students and citizens in the local community. The list includes 876 universities from 88 countries.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, (No. 10), measures universities’ research related to energy, their energy use and policies, and their commitment to promoting energy efficiency in the wider community. The list includes 812 institutions from 89 countries/regions.

Among U.S. universities, UB also ranked 12th in SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and 12th in SDG 2: Zero Hunger, up one spot from last year.