USM hits global top 15, UM leaps to 25th as Malaysia's universities make waves in sustainability rankings
KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Malaya (UM) have emerged as Malaysia's top performers in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2025.
The report assessed how universities around the world contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
USM placed joint 14th in the overall ranking and was the highest-ranked Malaysian university in both the Asia and Asean tables.
UM followed closely at 25th, a significant leap from 63rd last year.
Both universities are now among the top performers regionally, reflecting Malaysia's growing influence in sustainability-focused higher education.
'South-east Asia is home to many of the world's most dynamic and ambitious universities, and their commitment to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is truly impressive,' said Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education.
'Universities here are not just talking about sustainability, they are leading the way,' he added.
The Impact Rankings measure contributions across four key areas: teaching, research, outreach and stewardship.
Institutions are assessed based on their performance in various SDGs, such as poverty reduction, education, gender equality and environmental action.
Baty said these rankings are unique in that they focus on real-world impact.
'They celebrate how universities are addressing global challenges — from climate change and gender equality to peace, justice, and partnerships,' he added.
According to the Impact Rankings reports for Asia and Asean, USM was ranked first globally for SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Both USM and UM also jointly held the top global position for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
UM also performed strongly in environmental-related SDGs, ranking sixth globally for SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and 12th for SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Regionally, USM was the second-highest ranked university in Asean after Indonesia's Universitas Airlangga, which ranked joint ninth.
Other top Asean institutions included University of Indonesia (30th), and Thailand's Chiang Mai University and Chulalongkorn University (both ranked joint 44th).
UM also performed strongly in environmental-related SDGs, ranking sixth globally for SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and 12th for SDG 15 (Life on Land). — Picture by Firdaus Latif
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) ranked 53rd overall.
It was noted for its strong performance in SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), where it placed 26th globally.
Sunway University made a breakthrough by entering the top 100 for the first time, ranking 81st, up from the 201–300 band.
Several other Malaysian universities were placed in the 101–200 band. These include Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Management and Science University (MSU), and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).
UUM was also ranked 41st for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), while UMPSA was ranked 18th for SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
According to the Asean report, a total of 31 Malaysian universities were included in the overall ranking.
Based on the documents, the following 23 universities were explicitly named:
Universiti Sains Malaysia – joint 14th; 1st globally for SDG 1 and SDG 16; joint 1st globally for SDG 17 University of Malaya – 25th; 6th for SDG 14; 12th for SDG 15; joint 1st globally for SDG 17 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia – 53rd; 26th for SDG 12 Sunway University – 81st Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – 101–200 band Universiti Malaysia Sarawak – 101–200 band Universiti Utara Malaysia – 101–200 band; 41st for SDG 10 Management and Science University – 101–200 band Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah – 101–200 band; 18th for SDG 7 Universiti Malaysia Perlis – 201–300 band Universiti Teknologi MARA – 301–400 band Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman – 301–400 band Universiti Putra Malaysia – 401–600 band Universiti Malaysia Terengganu – 401–600 band Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris – 401–600 band Universiti Malaysia Kelantan – 401–600 band Lincoln University College – 401–600 band Multimedia University – 401–600 band University of Cyberjaya – 601–800 band Universiti Malaysia Sabah – 601–800 band Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia – 601–800 band Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation – 801–1000 band Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka – 801–1000 band
While the reports state that 31 Malaysian institutions were ranked in total, the remaining eight were not explicitly listed in the summary tables provided.
Baty said universities that embrace the SDGs show that they are not just ivory towers, but active agents of change in their communities and beyond.
The Impact Rankings 2025 assessed 2,526 universities from 130 countries.
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