USM moves up to 39th spot in THE Impact Rankings 2021

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has moved up the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2021 overall top 100 list, sitting at 39th and sharing the rank with the University of Montreal, Canada.

USM said this rank, the highest in the country, presented a huge jump from previous year’s rankings of 65.

“This latest achievement further cements USM’s position as among the world’s best institutions when it comes to solving humanity’s greatest challenges,” the apex university said in a statement yesterday.

It said it was the second highestranking Asean varsity after Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University whereas in Asia, it was the fifth highest. This is its third year taking part in these rankings.

In the latest edition of the international university rankings, USM also made it into the top 10 for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) table, which is part of the rankings.

Besides that, USM ranks 21st for SDG 1 (No Poverty), 29th for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), 40th for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 97th for SDG 4 (Quality Education), 50th for SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 58th for SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and 49th for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The rankings, released yesterday, assessed institutions worldwide on their commitment towards the UN 17 SDGs.

Other Malaysian universities also put in a strong performance across the SDGs, with nine institutions securing a combined 29 top 100 positions across the rankings.

Lincoln University College (35th), Universiti Putra Malaysia (67th), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (74th) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (95th) ranked among the top 100 out of the 966 institutions listed in the SDG4 table.

Three Malaysian universities also featured in the top 100 in the SDG5 (Gender Equality) and SDG2 while two were in the top 100 for SDG1, SDG7, SDG9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG14 and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

THE chief knowledge officer Phil Baty said USM’s “impressive performance” together with the other Malaysian universities making it into the top 100 showed their vital role in helping to achieve the SDGs.

“It’s great to see Malaysian institutions standing up to be counted and to see so many different institutions perform so well across the rankings,” he added in a press statement on Wednesday.

The University of Manchester, United Kingdom, claimed the top spot overall in the rankings followed by Australia’s University of Sydney and RMIT University.

The 17 SDGs include No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Reduced Inequality, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and Partnerships to achieve the Goal.

For more information, visit https://www.timeshighereducation.com/rankings/impact/2021/overall