Every year, the British publicationTimes Higher Education (THE) evaluates the work of universities around the worldbased on their performance in areas covered by the 17 SDGs adopted by UN member states.
In its 2023 edition, THE Impact Rankings recognized ORT for its work in the following areas:
- Quality education
- Responsible production and consumption
- Peace, justice, and strong institutions
- Partnerships to Achieve the Goals
Outstanding performance
This fifth edition marks the third time thatUniversidad ORT Uruguay has ; among 1,591 universities, it ranked 601st in the global rankings and performed exceptionally well, at the sub-level, in each of the four Sustainable Development Goals in which it participated.
In SDG 4, “Quality Education,” ORT improved its ranking compared to the previous year, placing in the 201–300 range out of 1,304 universities.
These results place ORT among the top 25% of institutions worldwide in terms of educational quality, not only because of the university’s contributions to educational research, but also due to its organization of events and the integration of topics related to sustainable development into course curricula at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
For SDG 12, “Responsible Consumption and Production,” ORT once again ranked between 101st and 200th out of a total of 674 universities that submitted data in this area, placing ORT in the top 25% for this SDG as well.
Incorporation of sustainable practices
The #ORTrecicla campaign played a key role, as it has not only led to a reduction in and recycling of the amounts of paper and plastic used at the university, but also works within its value chain to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices.
The sustainability report prepared by ORT to inform its stakeholders about the university’s activities related to sustainable development has received the highest possible score in the ranking.
For SDG 16, “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions,” ORT ranked between 201 and 300 out of a total of 910 institutions, while for SDG 17, “Partnerships for the Goals,” it ranked between 601 and 800 out of a total of 1,625.
Excellent results
According to Dr. Nicolás Gambetta—who is responsible for collecting and compiling data on the university’s contribution to the SDGs— the institution’s ranking results are excellent, especially considering that the universities that participated in the first four editions of the ranking have an average of 28,000 students and a history spanning some 135 years.
These findings come from a study conducted by Dr. Gambetta, which links academic quality to universities’ contributions to the SDGs as measured by THE Impact Rankings. According to the study, universities with stronger international ties and high-impact academic publications make a greater contribution to the SDGs.
“In the case of ORT, the activities and projects related to sustainable development carried out by our faculty members in collaboration with colleagues, universities, and other international institutions, as well as the impact research conducted in the field of education and sustainable development, undoubtedly contribute to the remarkable results achieved by ORT in the latest edition of the THE Impact Rankings,” he added.