Université Laval climbs to 36th in world ranking of impact universities

Québec City, April 28, 2022 – Université Laval came in 36th out of 1,406 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assess the global impact of universities around the world.

This is a significant increase from 2021, when it ranked 70th out of 1,117 universities worldwide. It is Université Laval’s highest ranking since the performance tables were created in 2019. The 2022 Impact Rankings put Université Laval in 8th position among Canadian universities.

The Impact Rankings assess universities against the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. The ranking criteria recognize initiatives by the entire university community based on training, the scientific contribution of research teams, the overall functioning of the University, and the impact of graduates. Université Laval especially excels with respect to the Climate Action (6th in the world) and Zero Hunger (6th in the world) goals. 

“I’m pleased with how much we’ve risen in the rankings because it shows the strength of Université Laval’s commitment,” said Université Laval rector Sophie D’Amours. “For many years, both through teaching and research, our academic community has sought to make a difference for our planet and in society, to ensure a sustainable and equitable future for all. These results encourage us to keep up our good work so that our university can have an even greater impact.” 

A sustainable development leader

The rankings reinforce Université Laval’s position as a sustainable development leader, with its outstanding performance in the categories of Responsible Consumption and Production (24th in the world) and Partnerships for the Goals (47th in the world). 

For many years, Université Laval has been taking bold, consistent, and transparent action to find concrete solutions that promote sustainable development. For example, it spearheaded creation of the UniC – International Student Network on Climate, a community of practice that promotes collaborative climate action. Since 2015, Université Laval has also worked continuously to maintain its carbon neutrality.

Times Higher Education is a UK organization specializing in ranking world universities. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings go beyond traditional education and research indicators and looks at universities in terms of their ability to transform the world. The evaluation criteria are the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals aim to address the global challenges we face, so that no one is left behind.