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Besides being places where you pull Red Bull-fueled all-nighters, live solely off pesto pasta and suffer through WKD-induced hangovers, universities are frequently at the centre of seriously impressive innovation. And one area in which they’re really leading the way right now is sustainability.
QS World University Rankings has probed 1,800 unis all over the world to reveal which ones are at the forefront of social and environmental sustainability. It scored each one according to several categories, including environmental research, good governance and environmental education. The UK scores big when it comes to being green — four British institutions made it into the top ten and two of them are London based.
University College London was ranked joint fifth in the world (alongside the University of British Columbia) for its sustainability efforts, scoring 98.6 out of 100. It got a perfect 100 in the ‘knowledge exchange’ category, which QS defines as ‘efforts in fostering partnerships between developed and developing regions, driving educational growth, and creating positive impacts for both local and global communities.’
UCL’s president, Dr Michael Spence, said: ‘Our groundbreaking research and innovative health programmes, along with our dedication to environmental sustainability, is making headway and having a significant impact on both local and global scales.
‘However, while we celebrate these achievements, we also recognise that there is still much work to be done. We must continue to push the boundaries of what is possible and remain committed to fostering a sustainable future for all.’
The other London uni in the top 10 was Imperial College London, which landed in joint seventh. It scored 98.4, doing particularly well in environmental education, with an almost perfect 99 out of 100.
You can find more info on QS’s most sustainable universities in the world here and have a look at the full QS sustainability league table here.
These are the 5 highest ranking London universities in the Guardian University Guide 2025
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