University Impact Rankings: Unipd ranks high for promoting healthy living and social well-being

The results of the fifth edition of the University Impact Rankings, compiled by the international review Times Higher Education (THE), were published on Thursday, 1 June 2023.
This ranking presents the possibility universities have of contributing to social well-being and sustainability, as well as to their primary mission of teaching, research and knowledge transfer. These activities are now generally traced to the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Impact Ranking is a set of recent internationally acknowledged rankings (one for each SDG and one overall), as can be seen from the number of participating universities: 1,705 universities (including 498 European ones) from 115 different countries were analysed this year, some of which coincide with those surveyed by the better known THE World University Ranking (WUR). Unlike THE WUR, there are no limitations to participation in this ranking based on scientific production.

Analysing the rankings for the individual SDGs, the University of Padua achieves the best result in SDG 3 – Health and Well-being, appearing 33rd in the world (improving on no. 47 achieved in 2022). This underscores the ability to promote healthy living and to ensure social well-being by reducing the incidence of diseases. The second best result can be seen in Quality of Education (SDG 4), where it ranks 35th, recording a slight drop compared to last year. The ranking considers the institution’s commitment to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, while promoting equal learning opportunities for all. The third best position is in SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, where the university ranks 54th in the world. This index assesses environmental sustainability practices and commitment to make the most of the historical, artistic and cultural heritage. Finally, the university is confirmed among the world’s top 100 universities for its commitment to SDG 5 – Gender Equality, where the University of Padua ranks 83rd worldwide. This index assesses the policies of universities to promote gender equality, i.e., how universities provide access to women and then support their academic progress. Finally, the University of Padua is among the world’s top 200 universities in SDG – 8 (DecentWork and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.