Breadcrumbs

Waikato ranked top 60 in the world for research that impacts economic growth and reducing inequality

21 April 2021

Students outside Tauranga Campus

The University of Waikato has been ranked in the top 60 universities in the world for research that supports economic growth and reducing inequality, as measured against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The results are part of the latest Times Higher Education (THE) impact rankings, which have also seen the University jump up a band in its overall ranking to 101-200 in the world.

Waikato is now ranked in the world’s top 35 universities for research and actions that support ‘decent work and economic growth’ (SDG 8), reflecting the strength of expertise in this area.

Recent work includes Āmiomio Aotearoa, a 5-year MBIE funded project to help New Zealand create a more circular economy – where products and components are designed to be permanently reusable – reducing resource use and waste.

The results also show that Waikato is taking a leading role internationally in its work-integrated learning programme, which sees every undergraduate student take up a work placement as part of their studies, as well as its supportive and inclusive employment policies.

Waikato also placed 57th in the world’s top universities for research that supports ‘reduced inequalities’ (SDG 10). Researchers contributed to SDG 10 with their work to understand inequities in the areas of race, gender and disability.

This includes recent studies by the University’s Medical Research Centre examining inequitable health outcomes for Māori with cancer or diabetes, as well as the MBIE funded project Working to End Racial Oppression, which looks at the individual, community and economic costs of racism.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs are a call for all countries to tackle the greatest challenges facing our world, including poverty, inequality and climate change. Universities have an important role to play through their research, policies, operations, and collaboration with other sectors.

First launched in 2019, this year’s THE impact rankings were more competitive than ever, with entries growing by half to 1200 universities in 96 countries around the world.


This research aligns with the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth Reduced Inequalities

Latest stories

Related stories

Bouncing unborn baby research between time zones secret to success

Bouncing work back and forth between time zones has allowed research into fetal development to…

Oceanography researcher recognised for making waves around the world

With a sea captain for a grandfather and childhood summers spent around the sea, it’s…

An ocean of possibilities in marine research at University of Waikato

Researchers at the University of Waikato are turning to the ocean to clean up our…

Waikato researchers at the frontier of New Zealand’s high-tech robotics industry

Developing a high-tech robotics industry in New Zealand to grow and support a horticulture sector…

University of Waikato researchers shape the future of Artificial Intelligence in New Zealand

University of Waikato researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to tackle problems…

Fieldays e-Bin

Making fruit picking easy with the e-Bin

The University of Waikato has developed an electronic fruit bin that assists in the harvesting…

Studying the sex lives of spiders

A Marsden Fast Start grant will allow University of Waikato behavioural ecologist and senior lecturer…

New research aims to discover when and to what extent children acquire social meaning of words

The desire to understand children’s associations of certain words, their meanings and associations of speakers…

NFT - Not a Fair Trade?

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, have become part of the common lexicon. Twitter, Instagram, and even…

Tauranga research has potential to reduce carbon emissions on ‘million-tonne scale’

Grinding rock and spreading it onto farmland doesn’t seem like a way to fight carbon…

Massive funding boost for Waikato research

From incorporating mātauranga Māori into marine restoration to Xeno Nucleic Acids that could have impacts…

Research into Great White Sharks in Bay of Plenty set to begin

A new project bringing together local iwi, marine ecologists, fisheries scientists and shark experts will…