Western Sydney beats the world four years in a row for community impact

Bengaluru: For an unprecedented fourth year in a row, Western Sydney University has emerged as the world's number one university for community impact awarded by the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. The University outranked 2,300 international universities in the evaluation process.
The University's deep-rooted commitment to improve lives and safeguard the planet through local and global initiatives is gaining huge recognition across markets. Spotlighting India's MARVI (Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater Use through Village-level Intervention) project – a collaboration between the University and its valued partners, the transformative community-led program has been commendable. The mission works on improving the security of irrigation water supplies and enhancing livelihood opportunities for rural communities. The project has reached over 3 lakh households in over 20,000 Indian villages across seven states in India.
Farmers in Rajasthan's Dharta watershed discuss their Village Groundwater Cooperative, a pioneering initiative for shared groundwater management. Developed by the MARVI project, it empowers communities to implement "4S" strategies: Scrutiny, Store, Share, and Sustain groundwater at the village level. This collaborative model is being considered for broader adoption across India and Southeast Asia for water security. Photo Credit: Distinguished Professor Basant Maheshwari
The University is also actively involved in educating and training NGOs, government agencies, and Indian water professionals working directly on the ground, as part of our commitment to delivering world-class education and supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO, 'Our University is youthful, diverse, dynamic and entrepreneurial. We reflect our community locally and globally, and we are part of it. These rankings recognise the work we are doing together to take Western Sydney – and our wider global partnerships – to the next level. We can all be proud of this result. Our mission is to ensure our students are successful, our teaching and research have impact, and we are contributing to stronger communities.''
Highlighting the University's impactful work in India, Chancellor Professor Jennifer Westacott AC, said, 'By training local women as Bhujal Jaankars – ground water informed volunteers – and promoting female leadership in village cooperatives, MARVI is helping communities make informed choices about which crops to plant based on the availability of water. As one of our flagship community-led projects in the region, Western Sydney University is deeply invested in this project. We are also committed to delivering world-class education that aligns with India's skill needs.'
Sharing his perspective on this landmark achievement, Professor Williams says, 'Western Sydney University is showing the world the way. Universities around the world are being urged to return to their primary role as public sector organisations delivering public good. The Impact Rankings recognise that Western Sydney University is the world's best at delivering public good in the communities we serve. It's in our DNA.'
Western Sydney University works in partnership with communities in Western Sydney and globally including in India and its offshore locations in Indonesia and Vietnam to deliver on its commitment to the 17 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The rankings assess what universities are doing to improve lives based on the SDGs and assess our research, teaching, campus operations, policies and community engagement and outreach. These include climate action, gender equality, ending poverty, providing affordable and clean energy, reducing inequality, industry innovation and producing sustainable cities and communities.
In addition to the overall world number one ranking, the University was highly ranked in the following categories:
. 4th in the world for SDG 15 Life on Land
. 7th in the world for SDG 5 Gender Equality
. 8th in the world for SDG 13 Climate Action and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
. 9th in the world for SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals, SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.
.10th in the world for SDG 14 Life Below Water and SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting their real-world social and environmental impact. Unlike traditional rankings, they recognise institutions for driving positive change in areas like health, education, and climate action.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India.com

an hour ago

• India.com

Stage set for world to celebrate International Day of Yoga

(Image courtesy: X/@IndianEmbTokyo) New Delhi: Several countries across the globe organised Yoga sessions on Friday, marking the one-day countdown to the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY). The Embassy of India in Nepal, in association with Lumbini Development Trust, organised a large-scale Yoga demonstration at Lumbini – the revered birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ambassador of India to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, highlighted that Yoga, an ancient practice with its origins in India, has grown into a global movement, particularly following the United Nations' declaration of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014. He remarked that Lumbini, widely regarded as a symbol of peace and harmony, provides a truly fitting setting to celebrate the timeless values of Yoga. The occasion was a part of a series of events being conducted by the Embassy of India to celebrate the 11th International Day of Yoga across various cities in Nepal. In Thailand, students of St. Andrews International School engaged in a yoga session highlighting the spirit of Yoga for 'One Earth, One Health'. 'Reflecting the spirit of Yoga for One Earth One Health, students of St. Andrews International School, Thailand, participated in an energizing yoga session organised by Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Bangkok,' Indian Embassy in Bangkok posted on X. In Austria, the celebration of IDY by the Indian Embassy in Vienna in partnership with Stadt Wien was featured prominently by ORF, Austria's national broadcasting service in its morning show 'Guten Morgen Österreich'. In Saudi Arabia, students from International Indian Schools in Taif and Jubail cities participated in a Yoga session embodying harmony, wellness, and togetherness. 'In celebration of International Day of Yoga, students from International Indian Schools in Taif and Jubail cities organised an energising Yoga session. Their vibrant spirit embodied the harmony, wellness, and togetherness that Yoga brings to our lives,' the Indian Embassy in Riyadh posted on X. On the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai, the Consulate General of India in Shanghai organised a well-attended IDY workshop and symposium for participants. In Japan, the 11th IDY countdown was celebrated at the Osaka Expo 2025. 'Ambassador of India to Japan Sibi George and Vice Governor of Osaka Prefecture Shigeki Watanabe inaugurated the celebrations and joined the collective yoga session alongside thousands of yoga enthusiasts,' the Indian Embassy in Tokyo posted on X. Marking one day countdown to IDY, the High Commission of India in Kenya organised a special yoga session at Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi, for the Foreign Affairs officials in Kenya, as part of their Annual Staff Wellness Day. Focusing on the holistic health benefits of yoga, the session received an enthusiastic response and saw participation from over 300 officials. In his 'Mann ki Baat' address on March 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised the importance of fitness in daily life and praised initiatives like the International Yoga Day. While sharing India's vision for a healthier world population, PM Modi mentioned the theme of IDY 2025 as 'Yoga for One Earth One Health', which ensures holistic health for the whole world. The 2025 theme highlights Yoga's role in promoting physical, mental, and environmental well-being, aligning with global calls for sustainability and unity. It builds on a decade of success since the United Nations recognised June 21 as International Day of Yoga, following India's proposal in 2014.

The Hindu

2 hours ago

• The Hindu

Internalise quality while expanding higher education sector: Ved Prakash Mishra

: While India progresses towards its 2035 goal of 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, achieving it would still leave 50% of those eligible for higher education out of the system. This means that the current rate of expansion of higher education institutions in the country is not able to match up to the massive requirement, says Ved Prakash Mishra, Pro-Chancellor, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra. He was speaking at the inaugural of an international conference on Accreditation, Ranking, and Quality, organised by Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai. Dr. Mishra outlined the dichotomy that although no other country was able to match the proliferation of higher education institutions as witnessed in India, it could 'cater to only one-fourth of the numerical requirement of the eligible targeted population', with the present GER nationally being 26.8%. That wasn't the only problem. In the context of 'quantified development and rapidity of multiplication, quality cannot be put to sacrifice', he said, adding that accreditation was an important aspect in that context, and ranking of higher education institutions in India, using global metrics, should be a consequence of the gradation system. In the top 500 institutions ranked globally, India has not been able to cut a mark and, therefore, global standards should be the benchmark to be incorporated and built into the operational system for quality centricity in higher education. Linking accreditation and quality certifying mechanisms will ensure that Indian graduates and post-graduates are globally relevant. In India, there were isolated patches or islands of quality centricity. While there were extraordinary quality centric institutions, there also were a bulk of mediocre and sub-mediocre institutions, and they were important for the cause of higher education. Mainstreaming quality in these institutions will require capacity building at a national level. Uma Sekar, Vice-Chancellor, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, said the two-day conference was being organised to decode the accreditation and ranking system, and navigate through the system to help achieve higher ranks. H. Thamizhchelvan, Dean, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, and K. Anbarasi, Professor, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, spoke.

NDTV

4 hours ago

• NDTV

Watch: Ranthambore's Iconic Tigress Arrowhead's Final Walk Captured On Camera

Tigress Arrowhead (T-84), one of Ranthambore's most celebrated big cats, passed away at the age of 14, forest officials confirmed on Thursday. Her death came just hours after her daughter was relocated to another tiger reserve, marking an emotional end to a storied legacy in Indian wildlife history. The death of this beloved animal has devastated wildlife enthusiasts. Noted photographer Sachin Rai, who had closely followed her life since she was a cub, paid tribute with a poignant video capturing her final moments. He shared a heart-wrenching account of Arrowhead's final moments. In an emotional Instagram post, he described watching her struggle to walk near Padam Talab on June 17, taking a few weak steps before collapsing under a tree, knowing instinctively that the end was near. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sachin Rai (@sachin_rai_photography) "On the evening of June 17th, I witnessed what would likely be the last walk of the legendary tigress 'Arrowhead' at the banks of Padam Talab, a place she had ruled with grace and strength for many years. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle, attempting to rise and take a few feeble steps before collapsing again," he wrote. "Each movement was a visible effort; even walking ten steps seemed an enormous task. Eventually, she reached a tree and lay beneath it. In that quiet moment, I knew in my heart that the end was near, just a matter of a day or two," he further mentioned. "I have followed Arrowhead's journey since she was a tiny cub. From those early days to watching her grow into a powerful tigress who claimed her mother's territory, every chapter of her life was a testament to resilience." Born to tigress Krishna (T-19) and the granddaughter of the legendary Machhli (T-16), Arrowhead was part of a famed tiger bloodline. She had been suffering from advanced bone cancer and had been under observation for weeks. Her passing symbolizes the end of an era for Ranthambore, where her lineage had long been a symbol of strength, beauty, and survival.