The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underpin all of our activities as an institution, and serve as a valuable framework for how we're addressing some of the biggest challenges facing humanity through our research, teaching, operations and external engagement.
The 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings confirm the University of Waikato is making excellent progress when it comes to aligning its research, teaching, campus operations and engagement to the biggest challenges facing the world today.
The University is ranked in the top 5% of universities in the world based on activities and achievements during the 2020 calendar year.
This marks a move from the top 200 to the top 100 in the world, while at the same time the number of institutions participating in these rankings increased from 1,300 to more than 1,500 worldwide.
The Impact Rankings, now in their fourth year, assess how institutions are contributing to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - the key issues identified as the most pressing facing humanity and the planet.
We are particularly proud to be rated in the top 10 institutions in the world for SDG #15 Life on Land; in the top 25 for #14 Life Below Water; and in the top 55 for #13 Climate Action and #16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Find out more about our progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Our Sustainability Report, Whaioranga Taiao, Whaioranga Tangata, showcases the progress we made towards the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2021 calendar year. The name reflects our aspiration for both a healthy and connected environment and fair and inclusive communities, acknowledging that neither can exist without each other.
Click on the tiles below to find more detail of how we contributed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2020. Please note, the 2022 Impact Rankings were an assessment of our achievements in the 2020 calendar year.
Lynda Johnston
Assistant Vice-Chancellor Sustainability
Professor Lynda Johnston was recently appointed to a new role of Assistant Vice-Chancellor Sustainability. She is focused on shaping the University’s strategic academic approach to sustainability and environmental management, and providing academic leadership and oversight of its activities using the SDGs as a framework.
She is passionate about using the power of our research and our people to make significant, positive contributions on both a local and global scale and will play a key role in raising awareness of sustainability among staff, students and the wider community, and encouraging responsible use of resources via research, operational practices, partnerships, teaching and learning.