Two Canadian universities place among top 10 in global sustainability rankings
Times Higher Education (THE) has released its 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings, with Queen’s University and the University of Alberta both landing in the global top 10.
A university’s overall rank is based on its alignment with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as no poverty, climate action, and gender equality.
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More than 1,600 universities were assessed to create the 2026 rankings, with four broad areas examined to assess sustainability: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
THE published this list on June 23, 2026.
National rank
In 2026, Canada was the only North American country to place among the global top 10.
A total of 20 Canadian universities made it onto THE’s overall 2026 global ranking, and four were among the top 20:
| National rank | University | Top SDG strength | Global rank | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen’s University | Sustainable Cities | 4 | 97.5 |
| 2 | University of Alberta | Industry & Innovation | 10 | 96.0 |
| 3 | Western University | Industry & Innovation | 12 | 95.9 |
| 4 | McMaster University | Industry & Innovation | 18 | 95.5 |
| 5 | University of Victoria | Life on Land | 27 | 94.6 |
| 6 | Simon Fraser University | Sustainable Cities | 52 | 92.2 |
| 7 | Université Laval | Climate Action | 68 | 91.0 |
| 8 | York University | Industry & Innovation | 78 | 90.5 |
| 9 | Dalhousie University | Life Below Water | 90 | 89.7 |
| 10 | Lakehead University | No Poverty | 101-200 | 82.3–89.2 |
| 11 | Toronto Metropolitan University | Responsible Consumption | 101-200 | 82.3–89.2 |
| 12 | University of Saskatchewan | Industry & Innovation | 101-200 | 82.3–89.2 |
| 13 | Wilfred Laurier University | Clean Water | 101-200 | 82.3–89.2 |
| 14 | University of Manitoba | Good Health | 201-300 | 77.5–82.2 |
| 15 | Carleton University | Industry & Innovation | 301-400 | 73.9–77.4 |
| 16 | Brock University | Reducing Inequalities | 401-600 | 66.2–73.8 |
| 17 | Thompson Rivers University | Climate Action | 401-600 | 66.2–73.8 |
| 18 | Trent University | Life on Land | 401-600 | 66.2–73.8 |
| 19 | University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) | Climate Action | 601-800 | 60.7–66.1 |
| 20 | University of Regina | Decent Work | 601-800 | 60.7–66.1 |
This year, Queen’s University moved up two ranks, while Alberta fell by two.
The “=” symbol indicates the university tied with another for that rank, having the same overall score based on SDG progression.
Three Canadian universities tied with others:
- Simon Fraser University for 52nd place with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Leeds;
- Université Laval for 68th place with Hong Kong Baptist University and the University of Galway; and
- York University for 78th place with the University of Pretoria.
The global top 10
This year’s sustainability impact rankings saw universities across Canada, Asia, Europe, and Oceania make the top 10 list.
There were two ties in the global top 10, one of which saw the National Taiwan University tie with the University of Alberta for 10th place.
The most common SDG strength among the global top 10 was Industry & Innovation (SDG 9).
| Rank | University | Top SDG strength | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Manchester | Life on Land | 98.5 |
| 2 | Griffith University | Life Below Water | 97.9 |
| 3 | Western Sydney University | Life on Land | 97.8 |
| 4 | Queen’s University | Sustainable Cities | 97.5 |
| 5 | Universiti Sains Malasia | No Poverty | 97.3 |
| 6 | Hanyang University | Industry & Innovation | 96.8 |
| 7 | Hokkaido University | Industry & Innovation | 96.3 |
| 7 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Sustainable Cities | 96.3 |
| 9 | Institut Agro | Life on Land | 96.1 |
| 10 | National Taiwan University (NTU) | Industry & Innovation | 96.0 |
| =10 | University of Alberta | Industry & Innovation | 96.0 |
This year’s top 10 list features five universities that made the list in 2025 including both Canadian universities, as well as the University of Manchester, Griffith University, and Western Sydney University.
Last year, the top three educational institutions were (in order) Western Sydney University, the University of Manchester, and Kyungpook National University (KNU).
Notably absent from the 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings are three of Canada’s most prominent universities: the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and McGill University.
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Methodology
For the 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings, THE evaluated a total of 1,646 universities from 116 countries and territories.
The report assessed each university’s progress on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The “four core pillars of evaluation” used to solidify a university’s rankings:
- Research: How universities contribute to the SDGs through academic research in areas linked to sustainability and global development.
- Stewardship: How institutions manage their resources, including their facilities, staff, faculty, and students, in ways that support sustainable development.
- Outreach: How universities engage with communities and partners beyond campus to promote sustainability at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
- Teaching: How universities prepare students to become informed, skilled professionals who can apply sustainability principles in their future careers.
You can find the UN’s 17 SDGs, including the broad indicators attached to each, below:
The 2026 rankings mark the eighth edition of THE’s Sustainability Impact Ratings, previously known as THE Impact Rankings.
THE is best known for its World University Rankings, also published annually—one of the most widely cited global university rankings systems.
