The North-West University (NWU) continues to build on its reputation as an innovative, globally engaged institution committed to excellence and societal relevance. This commitment is driven by its strategy, Taking the NWU forward: 2024 and beyond. This is once again affirmed in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Sustainability Ranking, which highlights our growing impact in addressing critical environmental, social and governance priorities aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
QS released its Sustainability Ranking on 18 November, placing the NWU among the top eight universities out of 82 qualifying institutions in Africa. Locally, the NWU is sixth among 13 South African universities. This is an improvement from last year’s seventh position. This recognition is particularly notable given that 2 001 international institutions qualified for the ranking this year, up from approximately 1 800 the previous year. In the overall results, we now hold the 548th position worldwide, with an improved total score of 66,9 out of 100, compared to 61,8 last year.
Ranking offers a multidimensional view of sustainability
The QS Sustainability Ranking evaluates universities through performance lenses across three core categories. These are environmental impact, social impact and governance. Each lens comprises several indicators that collectively determine a university's score. Only institutions already ranked in the QS World University Rankings, QS Regional Rankings or QS Subject Rankings are eligible.
We performed particularly well in environmental research, our strongest lens under environmental impact, with a score of 81,8. In the social impact category, health and well-being emerged as the university’s highest-scoring area with 79. We also achieved a strong position in the governance category, ranking 246th globally with a score of 89,7, placing it among the top five institutions in South Africa and sixth in the region.
Strategy propels NWU to global excellence
Our continued success in international rankings reflects the momentum generated by our strategic priorities, which emphasise internationalisation, partnerships and meaningful impact. It is exemplified in initiatives such as the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine, the proposed School of Mines and Mining Engineering, and the proposed School of Veterinary Sciences.
These developments underscore the university's dedication to advancing globally relevant, sustainable solutions. The positive outcomes of this strategic focus are evident in our consistently strong performance, reinforcing our position as a competitive and impactful institution both locally and internationally, and as a partner of choice in the higher-education landscape.
For more information about our continued strong performance in global rankings this year, visit www.nwu.ac.za/rankings, or to learn more about the QS Sustainability Ranking, visit https://www.topuniversities.com/sustainability-rankings.
