According to the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Sustainability Rankings, the University of Szeged continues to stand out for research excellence, operational performance, and its growing societal contribution to a sustainable future. In the newly released global assessment – which evaluates institutions against key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benchmarks – SZTE again secured a place among the world’s top 2000 universities, ranking 338th worldwide and 161st in Europe. Among the 14 Hungarian institutions featured in the expanding ranking, the University of Szeged took second place this year, trailing the national leader by just 1.1 points.
In the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 assessment, higher education institutions are evaluated worldwide against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. In the latest edition, published on November 18, 2025, a total of 1,994 institutions were included globally – an increase of 250 compared to the previous year. The ranking features 618 European institutions and 14 Hungarian universities. The University of Szeged once again secured a position in the top 20%, placing 338th worldwide and 161st in Europe. Within the increasingly competitive group of Hungarian institutions, SZTE earned second place, trailing the national leader by just 1.1 points.
QS is one of the world’s most highly respected companies assessing higher education performance, and its rankings draw on a broad set of criteria and indicators. Within this year’s results, several achievements of the University of Szeged merit special attention. SZTE earned a top-100 European position for its operational practices and measures aimed at reducing environmental impacts – a recognition that also reflects its firm commitment to environmental sustainability. Moreover, its research activities supporting a sustainable future were rated by QS as the strongest in Hungary. In addition, the university achieved the top national position for the social impact of its educational mission. Taken together, these results highlight the University of Szeged’s outstanding value-oriented performance and reflect the overall strength of the institution – distinguished by international accreditation and sustainability awards. In this context, SZTE continues to play a responsible, influential role both in its immediate surroundings and the broader community.
Breakdown of the QS Sustainability Ranking:
The Environmental Impact dimension contributes 45% to the overall score in the QS Sustainability Ranking. This part of the assessment considers factors such as environmentally conscious and sustainability-focused education and academic recognition (17%); research related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the institution’s reputation in these fields (13%); and environmentally responsible institutional operations and demonstrated commitment to sustainability (15%).
The Social Impact dimension also carries a 45% weight in the overall score. This component covers subcategories such as preparing students for the labor market (11%); advancing equality of opportunity (12%); supporting and ensuring quality of life and well-being (5%); assessing the social impact of educational activities (7%); and sharing and applying knowledge through research collaborations (10%).
The remaining 10% comes from the Governance dimension. In this part of the assessment, QS examines how the university functions as an organization from a sustainability perspective.
The full QS Sustainability Ranking can be accessed here.
Source: SZTEinfo
Feature photo by István Sahin-Tóth
