Our Rankings
Sustainable University Rankings
Advancing Sustainability on Earth
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Join 1,745+ universities from 105 countries in the world's leading sustainability ranking. Registration is free and open to any accredited higher education institution worldwide.
After registering, our team will review your submission and send you access to the questionnaire portal within a few business days.
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Sustainable University Rankings
Initiated by Universitas Indonesia in 2010, the UI GreenMetric Sustainable University Rankings is a global initiative dedicated to assessing and promoting environmental sustainability within higher education institutions. Through a robust framework comprising 60 indicators across 7 criteria, we objectively measure and benchmark the environmental commitments and initiatives of universities worldwide.
Since its inception, the ranking has experienced significant global adoption, growing from 95 participating universities across 35 countries in 2010 to 1,745 institutions across 105 countries in 2026.
Aims, Vision, and Mission
We believe that universities play an integral role in uniting stakeholders and communities to combat climate change. By developing and advancing novel ideas and innovations, universities can champion energy and water conservation, waste recycling, and green transportation. However, achieving these goals requires significant behavioral shifts, alongside solutions to the socioeconomic challenges associated with sustainability. In this regard, we envision universities serving as role models for society and acting as critical partners to governments.
To facilitate this, we collect quantitative data from participating universities and process it into a unified score that reflects the institution's commitment to implementing environmentally friendly and sustainable programs. Universities are then ranked according to this comprehensive score. We intend for these rankings to serve as a valuable tool for university leaders, assisting them in enacting eco-friendly policies and driving behavioral change within their respective academic communities.
Our vision is to be an open and globally respected Sustainable University Ranking that brings sustainable impact to higher education institutions around the world. Our missions are:
- Organizing an annual Sustainable University Rankings centered on sustainability.
- Encouraging sustainability practices in universities globally.
- Providing sustainability-related services for universities around the world.
- Facilitating international partnerships focused on sustainability.
History of the Ranking
As part of its strategy to enhance its international standing, Universitas Indonesia hosted an International Conference on World University Rankings on 16 April 2009. The event convened prominent experts on global university rankings, including Isidro Aguillo (Webometrics), Angela Yung-Chi Hou (HEEACT), and Alex Usher (Educational Policy Canada).
Discussions during the conference revealed a critical gap: the indexes currently used to evaluate higher education institutions did not recognize or credit universities for their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints. At the same time, the founders of UI GreenMetric recognized that prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Chicago, and Copenhagen, were already actively managing and enhancing their campus sustainability.
While some sustainability assessments already existed—such as the United States Green Report Card, which evaluated 300 colleges—their scope and methodologies were limited. Although valuable, these regional frameworks presented results as letter grades rather than comparative rankings, and restricted their focus to specific geographic areas, highlighting the clear need for a truly global benchmark.
Methodology and Rankings Framework
We recognized the critical need for a standardized global framework applicable to universities worldwide, utilizing a quantifiable scoring system to enable objective ranking. This methodology facilitates direct, data-driven comparisons between institutions based on their demonstrated commitment to addressing sustainability challenges and mitigating their environmental impact.
To achieve this, we developed a set of evaluation criteria designed to be accessible and practical for participating universities to complete, while maintaining strict credibility across vital environmental metrics. Our current performance evaluation framework is rigorously structured around seven core pillars: Setting and Infrastructure (SI), Energy and Climate Change (EC), Waste (WS), Water (WR), Transportation (TR), Education (ED), and Governance & Digitalization (GD).
Setting &
Infrastructure
Energy &
Climate Change
Waste
Water
Transportation
Education
Governance &
Digitalization
Rankings Overview
Now in its 16th edition, our ranking evaluates 1,745 institutions across 105 countries, reinforcing our position as the leading global benchmark dedicated exclusively to university sustainability performance.
Our rankings provide a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of campus environmental conditions, sustainability policies, and continuous institutional improvement worldwide. By elevating these critical metrics, we empower university leaders and stakeholders to take decisive action on climate change. Our goal is to drive measurable progress in clean energy adoption, water conservation, circular waste management, green transit, and sustainability research. Ultimately, we aim to inspire the fundamental behavioral shifts required to secure a sustainable future.
This year, our guiding theme is "Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education: Stories from Our Institutions and Communities." Driven by this focus, we invite broader participation from universities around the globe, uniting higher education in a shared commitment to building the sustainable campuses of tomorrow.
Overall Ranking
Explore the comprehensive global leaderboard to benchmark your institution's sustainability performance worldwide.
View rankingsTrees Rating
Discover our tiered evaluation system, awarding campuses 1 to 5 trees based on their commitment to environmental excellence.
Explore ratingsCompare University
Evaluate institutions side-by-side to identify strategic sustainability strengths and targeted areas for improvement.
Compare institutionsArchive Rankings
Access historical data from past editions to analyze trends and track continuous institutional progress.
Browse archivesRanking by Categories
Identify global leaders excelling across the core UI GreenMetric sustainability indicators.
View categoriesRanking by Populations
Benchmark your campus against peer institutions with comparable student body demographics.
View by populationRanking by Campus Area
Analyze how spatial footprint and campus size influence overall sustainability metrics and performance.
View by areaTop 50 Under 50
Discover dynamic, young universities driving extraordinary environmental impact and sustainable innovation.
View top 50