Thai Universities Performance in Global Sustainability Rankings for Educational Institutions

Abstract

In 1972, the term 'sustainability in higher education' was first introduced in the Stockholm Declaration, which highlighted the interdependence between humanity and the environment in achieving environmental sustainability. There are three major global university sustainability rankings: UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking, and QS World University Ranking: Sustainability. The UI GreenMetric World University Ranking evaluates universities based on six categories: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education. The THE Impact Ranking assesses how university activities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, the QS World University Ranking: Sustainability measures a university's effectiveness in addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. In 2023, 55 Thai universities participated in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, 65 in the THE Impact Ranking, and 7 in the QS World University Ranking: Sustainability. Thai universities perform relatively well in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking and THE Impact Ranking. However, there are notable gaps that need addressing in the QS World University Ranking: Sustainability.