By: JNS Published On: June 18, 2024
With a ranking of 95, the University is being recognized for its commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for eliminating poverty, hunger, and discrimination, leading the way among Israeli research universities
University of Haifa has been ranked 95th in the world and first in Israel in the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which examine academic institutions’ contributions to social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — the world body’s benchmarks in the realm of eliminating poverty, hunger, and discrimination. University of Haifa’s ascent to the rankings’ top 100 for the first time reflects the University’s institution-wide commitment to making strides toward achieving the UN’s recommended goals.
Among the SDG goals examined in the index, University of Haifa ranked 17th in the world in gender equality (SDG 5); 32nd in peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16); 68th in quality education (SDG 4); 82nd in preserving life on Earth (SDG 15); and 91st in labor relations and economic growth (SDG 8). The University was also ranked between 101-200 globally in the fight against world hunger (SDG 2) and reducing inequality (SDG 10).
“Our steady increase in the Impact Rankings, from 400th place in the world to 95th place in a span of just three years, indicates the hard work we have done at University of Haifa to meet the crucial task of universities in the 21st century: To be influential institutions which take part in solving the major challenges of humanity in the 21st century,” said Prof. Gur Elroy, Rector of University of Haifa, who will become the University’s new President in October. “This year’s rankings affirm our status as a beacon of the values that shape Israeli society as a whole, and the social, economic, and environmental fabric in the North of the country in particular.”
Home to 18,000 students, University of Haifa prides itself on the rich diversity of its student body and welcomes international students from around the world, as well as domestic students from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Baha’i, Druze, Bedouin, and other backgrounds.
The Impact Rankings are based on 17 SDGs to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030. The criteria seek to provide a comprehensive strategy to tackle the world’s greatest challenges and include eliminating poverty and hunger, providing quality education, affordable and clean energy, supporting biodiversity both in the sea and on land, promoting gender equality, and more. The final ranking is gauged by the quality of research each university invests in these criteria. Thus, the index gives a snapshot of how each university is faring in tackling humanity’s most pressing issues.
This year, 400 additional universities joined the index, underscoring the rankings’ growing importance and influence.
“Not only do these institutions stand out in individual areas but they also demonstrate comprehensive excellence in contributing to global sustainable development,” Times Higher Education stated. “By excelling in a variety of SDGs, these universities showcase their commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, including environmental sustainability, social inclusion, economic growth, and partnerships.”