VSB – Technical University of Ostrava earns spot in the THE Impact Rankings 2024
Only institutions that report data on at least four of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be included in the overall ranking, with SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals being mandatory for all universities. The latest edition of the rankings featured 1,963 universities from 125 countries, an increase of 372 from the previous year. From the Czech Republic, 10 universities made it to the overall ranking, two more than last year. Mendel University in Brno and the University of Ostrava were newly included. VSB-TUO ranked fifth domestically, following Charles University, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Masaryk University, and Palacký University.
"As last year, VSB-TUO participated in seven areas, including the mandatory SDG 17. Despite a slight decline in the overall ranking, the University achieved a score of 67.7, placing it in the 601st - 800th range. Notably, it made significant progress in the SDG 7 for Affordable and Clean Energy, advancing from last year's 301st - 400th position to 101st - 200th, and securing the top spot among Czech universities," said Kateřina Angus, International Evaluation and Rankings Officer at VSB-TUO. Angus, along with Marcel Šihor, the Sustainability Manager at VSB-TUO, attended the Global Sustainable Development Congress in Bangkok, where the THE Impact Rankings 2024 were revealed.
VSB-TUO also made substantial progress in the SDG 4 Quality Education category, moving up from last year's placement of 801st - 1000th to 401st - 600th. Additionally, there were improvements year-over-year in SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, now ranking in the 201st - 300th range (compared to 301st - 400th last year).
Overview of VSB-TUO's results in the evaluated SDGs:
- SDG 4 Quality Education: 401 - 600
- SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy: 101 - 200
- SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth: 201 - 300
- SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: 601 - 800
- SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities: 201 - 300
- SDG 16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: 401 - 600
- SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals: 601 – 800
Globally, Western Sydney University in Australia maintains its top position for the third consecutive year. Sharing the second spot are the University of Manchester in the UK and the University of Tasmania in Australia. The top newcomer in 2024 is France's Institut Agro, sharing the 21st place. India leads the list with the highest representation in the overall rankings, featuring 96 universities.
Participation in the ranking confirms that these universities are contributing to global issues such as environmental sustainability, social inclusion, economic growth and partnerships. The Sustainable Development Goals, which were formulated with the participation of all UN Member States, business, academia and citizens from all continents, represent the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The full THE Impact Rankings 2024 results list is available here.
Text: Martina Šaradínová, PR Specialist for R&D
Photo: Marcel Šihor, THE