Lund University continues its climb towards the top of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, which ranks sustainable development at universities around the world. The University is now ranked 3rd in the world out of approximately 1,750 ranked universities. This places the University second in Europe, and number one in Sweden.
QS World University Rankings: Sustainability is a framework to show how higher education institutions are taking action to address global sustainability challenges. This is the third year of the ranking, and the third spot is up five places from last year’s position of eighth. In the first year the ranking was presented, Lund University came in 12th place.
“This is a fantastic recognition of Lund University’s long-term work on sustainability issues. It is very gratifying that Lund University’s commitment to sustainability is recognised in this ranking, and that our position has steadily improved in recent years,” says Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström.
The ranking consists of three categories: Environmental Impact, Social Impact and Governance. Within environmental impact, there are three sub-groups, or ‘lenses’ as they are called in the QS World University Rankings: Environmental Education Environmental Research and Environmental Sustainability. Within Social Impact, there are five lenses: Employability and Opportunities, Equality, Health and Wellbeing, Impact of education, and Knowledge exchange. Governance assesses whether an institution has strong governance in place, for example through open decision-making, a holistic and ethical organisational culture, student representation on university governing bodies and financial transparency.
– In the area Environmental Impact, Lund University is ranked 11th overall. The best lens is Environmental Research/Sustainable Research where Lund University is ranked 2nd in the world with 99.8 out of 100 points.
– In the category Social Impact, Lund University is ranked 10th overall. The top lenses ranked are Equality, where the university is ranked 1st with 100 out of 100 possible points, and Health and Wellbeing, where it is ranked 2nd, with 99.8 points out of 100.
– In the area of Governance, Lund University is ranked 2nd in the world with 99.9 points out of 100.
In 2023, there was a major change to the methodology, but in 2024 only minor adjustments have been made. Indicators are weighted equally, but underlying metrics may have been slightly adjusted in weighting.
Sustainability is now also an indicator in the QS overall ranking, and is based on the Sustainability ranking. As a result, the number of ranked higher education institutions continues to increase, from around 1,400 last year to around 1,750 this year.
In general, Nordic universities are at the forefront of work on sustainability, and Erik Renström emphasises that part of the explanation for the University’s ranking is the outstanding research on climate issues that is being conducted.
He believes that the success of the QS Sustainability Ranking is also about how the University manages to provide knowledge and tools for sustainability issues to all students – not just those who specialise in sustainability in their studies.
“The more students who gain knowledge and understanding of sustainability challenges, the better! Lund University’s alumni play an important role in finding solutions to societal challenges,” says Erik Renström.
Lund University has also long been at the forefront of innovation in what is now often called the green transition.
“Being among the top three in the world strengthens our work going forward and is fully aligned with the University’s strategic work. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff and students for all their commitment to sustainability issues over the years – you couldn’t ask for a better Christmas present,” says Erik Renström.
Lund University ranks 2nd in Europe out of 556 evaluated universities and 1st in Sweden out of 16 universities.
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