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This Ontario university just ranked as one of the best in the world

Queen's University in Kingston ranked as the first in Canada and third worldwide out of over 1,700 participating institutions.
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Queen's University Campus CNW Group/Queen's University

When it comes to evaluating university excellence, Canadian institutions consistently excel.

However, among the myriad of esteemed educational institutions worldwide, one Canadian university has achieved an extraordinary feat in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.

Queen's University in Kingston ranked as the first in Canada and third worldwide out of over 1,700 participating institutions in its global ranking of universities that are advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs were established by UN member nations in 2015 to "guide global action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure shared peace and prosperity for all people by 2030," according to a release. 

There are 17 SDGs in total, ranging from poverty to climate action to inequality and all other issues pertaining to the well-being of society and the planet.

"It is an honour to be recognized for our institution's ongoing contributions to advancing the SDGs. These goals are reflective of the university's mission and our desire to be recognized as a global institution," says Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor.

"The Impact Rankings have played an instrumental role in bringing together our community by creating a focus on the numerous ways Queen's is engaged in solving the world's most pressing challenges. Our performance in the rankings tells us that we are on the right track, and our efforts are having an impact."

With over 1,700 universities from around the globe participating, the THE Impact Rankings serve as a benchmark for evaluating universities' dedication to addressing the most pressing global issues. This comprehensive assessment scrutinizes the initiatives undertaken by schools in their quest to tackle the world's greatest challenges head-on. 

The Impact Rankings evaluate universities' activities across four important areas—research, teaching, outreach, and stewardship—using a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data points. Queen's submitted more than 400 pieces of evidence to illustrate its contributions towards an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable future. 

Queen's was the only Canadian university to achieve three, top-ten placements since the rankings began in 2019. In this year's evaluation, THE Impact Rankings assessed Queen's as:

  • First in the world for SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • Second in the world and first in Canada for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • Seventh in the world and third in Canada for SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The 2023 rankings evaluated submissions from 117 countries, including 26 Canadian universities, and saw an overall increase in worldwide institutional participation by 11% over last year.  

You can find the full ranking here.