According to Times Higher Education , this ranking is not only a celebration of the positive impacts of universities on a global scale, but also a reminder of the gaps that still exist for other higher education institutions to reflect on and find directions to continue their efforts and improvements.
A story published by Times Higher Education to help readers understand the criteria for assessing the impact of universities on the community. In a remote village in the Philippines, every night, darkness falls because people cannot afford to pay for electricity to light up their living space.
The villagers dream of solar street lights. A joint project between students from a US university and a local NGO has helped them get a few. However, due to lack of resources, the number of lights turned on each night is only enough to illuminate a small corner of the village.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 goals that the whole world is aiming for (Photo: UN).
After better understanding the needs of the villagers, the group of students created a model of solar-powered lamps that could be moved flexibly and had low production costs, and at the same time instructed the villagers on how to make similar lamps themselves.
“We not only give light but also help them create light for themselves,” shared Ms. Mandy Bratton - Director of the Center for Global Sustainable Development at the University of California, San Diego (USA).
The University of California, San Diego's Global Ties program connects interdisciplinary students with nonprofits and underserved communities to work together to find solutions to pressing problems.
The Global Ties program is also working on developing a solar-powered phone charger for emergency use in disaster areas.
The above story is just one example of the many practical activities that universities carry out to bring positive impacts to communities around the world.
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are designed to highlight these meaningful activities. This is a testament to how universities are contributing to the realization of the sustainable development goals that the global community is working towards.
This ranking requires schools to clearly disclose their efforts in research, teaching, project management and practical effectiveness in community service.
Vietnam has 16 ranked schools.
This year, the ranking recorded data from 2,526 universities in 130 countries and territories. Similar to previous years, a total of 18 sub-rankings were released, including an overall ranking and 17 rankings corresponding to the 17 sustainable development goals.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 goals that the world is striving for. These goals were adopted in 2015, aiming to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental crisis, challenges in protecting peace and justice...
These goals aim for a more sustainable future for all humanity, with a deadline of 2030. In this year's rankings, Vietnam has 16 ranked universities.
Leading the group of Vietnamese universities ranked are FPT University, National Economics University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics. All four of these schools are in the top 301-400.
Western Sydney University in Australia continues to hold the top spot in the rankings for the fourth consecutive year. The University of Manchester (UK) and Kyungpook National University (South Korea) are ranked second and third respectively. Griffith University (UK) and the University of Tasmania (Australia) are tied for fourth place.
In Southeast Asia, the countries with the most ranked schools are the Philippines (113 schools), Thailand (83 schools) and Indonesia (71 schools).
Vietnam has 16 ranked universities (Photo: THE).
East Asia and Southeast Asia rise strongly
Times Higher Education analysis shows that universities in East and Southeast Asia are making rapid strides in their sustainability efforts.
However, on a global scale, many universities in this region need to pay more attention to supporting the mental health of staff and lecturers, as well as adding criteria to evaluate student learning effectiveness based on sustainable development goals.
This year’s rankings come as the United Nations marks the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals, amid growing doubts about whether they will be achieved globally by 2030.
This year, the National Economics University raised its ranking to the 301-400 group, and the school has maintained its presence in this ranking for four consecutive years (Photo: NEU).
A recent study by scholars in Mexico found that no country is on track to achieve all 17 sustainable development goals. Meanwhile, budget cuts for sustainable development in many countries are a significant barrier to progress.
Despite many challenges, many universities continue to make a positive impact in their communities, striving to maintain a sustainable development momentum. Even in places where conflict, climate change, poor infrastructure and lack of financial investment are occurring, many universities are quietly playing a positive role.
In a context where many governments may be slowing down in their commitment to sustainable development, higher education institutions are becoming inspirational beacons, playing a pioneering role in spreading the good values of sustainable development goals.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/viet-nam-co-16-co-so-dai-hoc-lot-bxh-truong-co-tam-anh-huong-the-gioi-20250618120733274.htm
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