Press release: Recognition for environmental education and research, plus social impact
No. 188 - 28.11.2025
Göttingen University moves up in QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026
In the latest QS World University Sustainability Rankings, the University of Göttingen received good marks for sustainability: it improved its position by more than 250 places. This puts it among the top 11 per cent of universities worldwide in terms of sustainability. A total of 2,001 institutions are listed in this year's ranking (up from 1,751 in the previous year). The University of Göttingen ranked 222nd worldwide (up from 486th in the previous year) and 17th nationally (up from 24th). The University’s environmental research was in particular rated very highly, with a score of 97.7 out of a possible 100 points: the University of Göttingen ranked fourth in Germany in this category.
In 2025, the University of Göttingen made progress in all areas assessed by the ranking compared to 2024. In some categories, such as governance, the improvement is over 100 per cent, and in others, such as environmental sustainability, meaning a university's strategy and actions for environmentally sustainable development, the improvement is over 300 per cent. “These figures clearly show that the anchoring of sustainability in research, teaching and administration at the University of Göttingen is making visible progress,” says Professor Bernhard Brümmer, Vice-President for Research and Sustainability at the University of Göttingen. “We see ourselves as responsible for future generations and we will live up to this responsibility, particularly in our core tasks.”
The QS World University Rankings in Sustainability evaluate the environmental impact, social impact and governance of universities. The ranking is based on the United Nations' sustainable development goals. The issues that it takes into account include: environmental education and research, as well as equal opportunities, further education opportunities and structures that promote sustainability. The ranking has been published annually since 2022.
The ranking can be found here: www.topuniversities.com/sustainability-rankings.