University maintains high placing in Impact Rankings
The University of Auckland has maintained a high placing in the Global Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, in the top two percent of institutions (=28th).
The rankings measure how universities worldwide are performing against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs came into force in 2016 and set a 15-year agenda for all countries to end poverty, fight inequalities and build peaceful, just, and sustainable societies.
Retaining a position within the top two percent reaffirms the University of Auckland’s strong commitment to sustainability and making a positive social impact through its partnerships, research, teaching, operations, community engagement and knowledge transfer.
The University's results
The University showed a significant improvement in SDG7 (affordable and clean energy), leaping from 75th last year to 11th this year, and in the top 1 percent globally. For SDG13 (climate action), the University climbed from 21st equal last year to 14th for 2025.
Overall, Auckland is also in the top 5 percent in the world for nine of the 17 SDGs.
The 2025 Impact Rankings is the sixth edition and included 2,318 universities from 130 countries/regions. The University of Auckland submitted evidence on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
More comprehensive results are available on the THE website.
Major local and global partnerships
Auckland Council
Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)
Sustainable Business Network
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
UN Academic Impact
UN HABITAT
Universitas 21
Worldwide Universities Network (WUN)
Future contributions
As the Impact Rankings submission will be an annual exercise, we welcome staff contributions to its preparation.
For more information about how staff can contribute and the data mining work we are undertaking to better represent our research contributions to the SDGs, please contact the Planning and Information Office.