The 2023 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings Results and Award Ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria, Dubai Palm Jumeirah, marked a significant milestone in the global recognition of sustainable achievements within higher education.
This landmark event, hosted by Abu Dhabi University, unfolded in alignment with COP 28 and in collaboration with ICASF 2023. With nearly a hundred participants, the ceremony served as a pivotal hub for collaboration and partnerships between UI GreenMetric and sustainable universities worldwide, shaping a path towards a more sustainable future. The agenda unfolded with a keynote address by Prof. Waldemar Siwinski, the President of IREG Observatory and Academic Ranking.
Notable recognitions in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2023 include Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands as the Most Sustainable University in the world, according to the prestigious 2023 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Followed by Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom, and Umwelt-campus Birkenfeld (Trier University of Applied Sciences), Germany, securing the second and third positions respectively. Seven other universities featured in the top 10 for the Best Sustainable Campus category are University of Groningen, Netherlands; University of California, Davis, the United States; University College Cork, Ireland; University of Nottingham, United Kingdom; Universidade de Sao Paulo USP, Brazil; University of Connecticut, the United States; and University of Bremen, Germany.
The University of Nottingham also jumped a remarkable 85 places in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 up to 33rd out of 1,403 global institutions. The university is placed 17th out of 493 European universities and 12th in the UK.
In addition to the “2023 Most Sustainable University” category, UI GreenMetric also presented awards such as “The Most Active National Coordinator University” to Bukhara State University, Uzbekistan; “The Most Sustainable University in the Middle East” to Istanbul Technical University, Turkiye; “The Best New Participating University” to Tashkent State Pedagogical University, Uzbekistan; and “The Most Sustainably Improved University” to California State University, Sacramento, the United States.
H.E. Husin Bagis, the Ambassador of Indonesia for UAE, expressed his pride in being part of this ceremony, stating, “We are pleased to acquaint ourselves and participate in the UI GreenMetric event in Dubai. We take pride in our campus’s global participation and express hope for increased engagement from universities in the UAE in future endeavours.”
The UI GreenMetric World University Rankings has gained global popularity, with 1,183 participating universities from 84 countries this year, including new country members Burkina Faso, Kosovo, Liberia, and Uruguay, compared to 1,050 universities from 85 countries in 2022. The assessment is based on three pillars—environmental, economic, and social value—incorporating indicators such as setting and infrastructure; energy and climate change; waste; water; transportation; education; and research.
Laura Mayhew-Manchón, Head of Sustainability from Nottingham Trent University, expressed gratitude for the award,
“On behalf of the entire NTU community, it is a privilege and honour to be named the second most sustainable university in the world, for the second year running. We are immensely proud of this collective achievement and grateful to UI GreenMetric for this global recognition.”
Andy Nolan, Director of Sustainability at the University of Nottingham, said:
“Being placed so highly in the QS World University Rankings is recognition for the breadth and depth of the University’s commitment to the sustainable development goals in its teaching, research and how we operate. Alongside the 7th place in the UI Green Metric and our success at last week’s Green Gown Awards it shows the University is delivering on the commitments we’ve made in our strategy.”
Posted on 18 December 2023
