Times Higher Education (THE) publishes its annual Impact Rankings based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to provide both overall and goal-specific evaluations of universities worldwide. In the latest edition, released on June 18, 2025, the University of Szeged (SZTE) achieved outstanding results. It is ranked in all 17 SDG categories and holds the leading national position in nine of them. SZTE also secured two top 100 global placements: 53rd in SDG 14 (Life Below Water), which focuses on protecting oceans and seas, and 77th in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). In the overall global ranking – which includes thousands of institutions – SZTE placed among the top 400, making it the highest-ranked university in Hungary, with a shared national first-place standing.
The University of Szeged (SZTE) continues to deliver outstanding results in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings – the sustainability-focused list published annually by THE. Introduced in 2019, these rankings assess the economic and social impact of universities, as well as their institutional responsibility, based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations. In the latest edition – released today and featuring 2,318 universities, over 350 more than last year – SZTE once again performed strongly, placing among the global top 400 and maintaining its shared first-place position in Hungary.
SZTE also excelled in the individual SDG rankings, placing among the global top 100 in two categories: 53rd in SDG 14 (Life Below Water), which focuses on the protection of oceans and seas, and 77th in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). In addition, the university frequently ranks in the global top 200 and top 300 across several goals, including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), as well as SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This year, SZTE also earned strong placements in the remaining SDG categories and saw a major leap forward – rising by at least 100 positions in five categories: SDG 2, SDG 8, SDG 14, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
In Hungary, 12 institutions were included in this year’s THE Impact Rankings – and the University of Szeged appeared in all 17 SDG categories. Even more impressively, SZTE secured top national positions in a total of nine categories, either as the sole leader or in a shared first place. These categories are:
The University of Szeged’s outstanding performance in the rankings reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Recognized with a sustainability award and international accreditation, SZTE is dedicated to advancing these global objectives through high-impact education, research, and service activities that promote social well-being. The university actively promotes the dissemination of knowledge, as well as the preservation of human, social, cultural, and environmental values, and embraces social, economic, and environmental responsibility – all in support of sustainable development.
The full THE Impact Rankings list is available here.
Source: SZTEinfo
Feature photo by Ádám Kovács-Jerney