In International Rankings, UTA Scores Top Marks for Partnerships

The University of Texas at Arlington ranked No. 8 among American colleges and universities in an international measure for sustainability, according to the 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

These rankings assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are 17 global initiatives encompassing education, human rights, public health, community development and economic growth.
UT Arlington improved six spots from its 2021 standing in the same rankings. There were 42 U.S. institutions participating this year and more than 300 universities worldwide.

Overall, UT Arlington scored 86.6 on a 100-point scale. UT Arlington’s 89.9 score in the Partnership for the Goals category was the University’s highest score among the 17 global initiatives. According to the United Nations, “a successful development agenda requires inclusive partnerships—at the global, regional, national and local levels—built upon principles and values, and upon a shared vision and shared goals placing people and the planet at the center.”

Meghna Tare, UTA’s chief sustainability officer, said the ranking recognizes the strength of UT Arlington’s diverse sustainability initiatives and partnerships in North Texas.

“UT Arlington is incorporating sustainable development goals into practice by engaging with the North Texas community in its advancement and showcasing instances and models of sustainable development programs and activities,” she said. “This includes leading the Regional Center of Expertise for Education on Sustainable Development (RCE North Texas), integrating sustainability in the curriculum, and teaching and engaging with students on campus.”

UT Arlington ranked in the top 25% for nine of the 12 SDGs, the top 50% for all submitted SDGs and improved its score from the previous year for each submitted SDG. Highlights include:

• The University ranked 72nd in the SDG of Good Health and Wellbeing.

• UTA ranked 87th in the SDG of Gender Equality.

• UTA ranked 53rd for the SDG of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

This is the fourth publication of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assess universities’ progress on meeting the U.N.’s SDGs. To be ranked, a university must submit information for at least four out of the 17 SDGs, including the required No. 17: Partnership for the Goals.

The number of universities participating worldwide increased to 1,438 institutions this year. Participation started in 2019 with 467 universities.