SZTE Ranks Among the World’s 35 Greenest Universities and Earns Sustainability Award
SZTE Ranks Among the World’s 35 Greenest Universities and Earns Sustainability Award
2026. October 01.
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The University of Szeged has strengthened its position among the world’s leading universities for sustainability, rising to 34th place in the latest UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. SZTE now ranks among Europe’s top 20 universities and third in Eastern Europe. Its sustainability efforts have also earned special recognition, with the University named the most active Hungarian member of the international UI GreenMetric network.
Published annually by Universitas Indonesia since 2010, the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings assess higher education institutions based on their sustainability efforts, commitments, and achievements. Participation has increased considerably over the years: from just 95 institutions in 34 countries in the inaugural ranking to 2,016 universities across 110 countries in 2026 – nearly 300 more than the previous year.
Among the world’s leading green universities
This year, UI GreenMetric expanded its assessment from six thematic areas to seven and revised the weighting of the categories. Universities are now evaluated across Setting and Infrastructure (11%), Energy and Climate Change (20%), Waste Management (17%), Water Management (11%), Transportation (17%), Education and Research (13%), and the newly introduced Governance and Digitalization (11%). SZTE continues to perform strongly, climbing seven places to 34th worldwide, 18th in Europe, and third in Eastern Europe.
That performance further strengthens SZTE’s position at the forefront of sustainability in Hungarian higher education. The University is the only Hungarian institution to rank among the national top three in all three major international sustainability assessments: the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings, the QS Sustainability Rankings, and UI GreenMetric. With 9,092.5 points in the latest GreenMetric ranking, published at the end of September 2026, SZTE now stands among the top 2 percent of participating universities worldwide. Nationally, it has consistently ranked among Hungary’s leading green universities over the ranking’s more than 15-year history.
Special recognition for outstanding engagement
SZTE’s growing international sustainability profile is matched by its active engagement across the UI GreenMetric network. At the ceremony marking the announcement of the 2026 results, the University of Szeged received special recognition as the network’s most active Hungarian university – further reflecting its commitment to sustainability and its active role in advancing greener practices both within the University and internationally.
The award reflects the breadth of SZTE’s engagement within the UI GreenMetric network, from joint online sustainability courses and international student meetings to panel discussions, professional events, and leadership forums. At the same time, the University is actively helping shape a more sustainable future through advances in e-fuel development; research into climate change, nanoplastics, digitalization, and social justice; initiatives to conserve and restore biodiversity; and academic programs and courses addressing environmental, economic, and social challenges. Community health promotion and volunteer programs, together with outreach, knowledge-sharing, and awareness-raising events, extend this commitment even further – turning sustainability into action through research, education, and engagement with the wider community.
