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University of Birmingham achieves 38th position in the 2025 QS World Sustainability Rankings

The University of Birmingham continues to perform strongly in the 2025 QS World University Rankings for Sustainability.

10 December 2024
An aerial photo of the University of Birmingham Edgbaston campus.

The University of Birmingham continues to perform strongly in the 2025 QS World University Rankings for Sustainability. Now ranked 38th globally, Birmingham has maintained its position at 14th in the UK, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring its research, education and operations make major contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to the UK’s 2050 Net Zero target.  

The QS World University Rankings measures a university’s global reputation and is the most used international league table. Marking universities with a score out of 100, the Sustainability category demonstrates which institutions are leading the way in social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

With an overall score of 93.1 out of 100, Birmingham has improved its score by 4.3 marks. It has risen 30 places to eighth in the Governance category, is in the top 10 for Knowledge Exchange, and is in the top 50 for Equality.

David Hannah (Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Sustainability) commented: “The University is committed to embedding sustainability in everything we do. As a civic University, we support our community to meaningfully engage with our research, education and operational activities. We are delighted to see our efforts reflected with our position of 38th in the 2025 QS World Sustainability Rankings and look forward to actively and vigorously continuing our sustainability journey in the year ahead.”

We are delighted to see our efforts reflected with our position of 38th in the 2025 QS World Sustainability Rankings and look forward to actively and vigorously continuing our sustainability journey in the year ahead.

Professor David Hannah (Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Sustainability)

In the last year, the University has launched the Thriving Planet global research campaign and the groundbreaking report, ‘Adaptation and Building Resilience in a Changing World’ at the COP28 climate summit as well as contributing at COP29.

Research impact and real-world climate action has been enabled by the Birmingham Institute of Sustainability and Climate Action, sustainability is being embedded across all teaching and ‘sustainability focused’ is now a University of Birmingham graduate attribute.

Across the staff and student community, a new Sustainability Champions scheme has been introduced, and a free four-week bus pass scheme was adopted by over 4,500 people to encourage low carbon travel.

Zoe Hurley, Head of Sustainability, said: “The University of Birmingham is a community that cares about its positive impact on the planet, and we are committed to continuing to embed sustainability in our practices. We are excited to continue working with our staff, students, and wider community to become a more sustainable University.”

The University of Birmingham is a community that cares about its positive impact on the planet, and we are committed to continuing to embed sustainability in our practices.

Zoe Hurley, Head of Sustainability

The University of Birmingham is committed to achieving operational net zero carbon. It is seeking to change society and the environment positively, and use its research and education to make a major global contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Find out at www.birmingham.ac.uk/sustainability 

Notes for editors

  • For more information, please contact Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)121 414 2772
  • The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries.

Featured staff

  • Professor David Hannah

    Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability)

    David M. Hannah is Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability), Professor of Hydrology and UNESCO Chair in Water Sciences, and Director of the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability & Climate Action.

    Phone: +44 (0)121 41 46925 (for own research)
    Email: d.m.hannah@bham.ac.uk

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