UC strengthens its lead as the most sustainable institution in Portugal and one of the top 200 in the world

The University of Coimbra (UC) has solidified its position as a leading higher education institution in Portugal, standing as the foremost contributor to addressing the world's significant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges. This recognition follows the publication of the prestigious Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024, released today, the 5th of December.

The UC is ranked 181st in the world and 81st in Europe out of a total of 1403 institutions. This represents an increase of 703 since the last edition.

"This recognition is further evidence of the University of Coimbra's unwavering commitment to addressing the pressing challenges that affect us all. These results mark a significant milestone in our journey towards carbon neutrality. This commitment has been and will continue to be a cornerstone of the University of Coimbra," said Amílcar Falcão, Rector of the University of Coimbra.

Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance are the three categories that make up the global QS WUR: Sustainability 2024 ranking. The University of Coimbra achieved its highest position in the "Environmental Impact" category, ranking 180th globally.

In the "Environmental Impact" category, which assesses three metrics, UC ranked 70th worldwide for the Environmental Research indicator. This result was based on existing projects dedicated to environmental sustainability, such as the Energy for Sustainability Initiative (EfS), which brings together faculty from more than ten of the institution's research and development units to transfer knowledge to society. In the "Social Impact" category, the University of Coimbra is ranked 229th in the world, and stands out in the "Knowledge Exchange" indicator (110th) through its participation in numerous national and international networks, such as the European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U), a multicultural and multilingual alliance of nine universities that aims to promote the development of an innovation space that allows free mobility flows between the participating universities and their associated cities.

Finally, in the Governance category, the UC is also ranked in the top 500 worldwide (411th).

This is the second edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings: Sustainability, which aims to assess how universities are helping to address the world's major environmental, social, and governance challenges.