Széchenyi István University has for the fifth time secured its place among the world's top universities, advancing to the 601-800 range on the Times Higher Education (THE) list. This prestigious international ranking organization assesses universities based on their contributions to sustainability and their economic and social impacts. Notably, the University is now among the top 200 globally in the "Sustainable Cities and Communities" category.

Széchenyi István University aims to contribute to a liveable future through its education, research, and activities related to sustainability. This achievement is highlighted by its consistent presence in the THE Impact Rankings for the fifth consecutive year. The rankings evaluate higher education institutions worldwide based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

In the latest list published on 12 June, the University of Győr is ranked 601-800, a significant improvement from last year's ranking of 801-1000. The institution is ranked fourth best in Hungary, with only University of Debrecen, the University of Szeged and Eötvös Loránd University ahead.

 Within this ranking, the institution is now among the top 200 globally in the "Sustainable Cities and Communities" category, which examines resource management and the role of universities in preserving and maintaining community heritage, as well as mapping their sustainability-related research and practices. Additionally, the University has made substantial progress in the "Partnerships for the Goals" category, moving up to the 301-400 range from last year's 801-1000. The institution is also in the top 400 for both "Decent Work and Economic Growth”, which scrutinizes its role as an economic growth driver and its employer responsibility, as well as for "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions".

Students at Széchenyi István University can study at an institution that places a strong emphasis on sustainability. (Photo: András Adorján)

"The greatest challenge and most important goal of the 21st century is contributing to sustainability. THE's ranking measures university performance in this area based on objective indicators. Our current ranking confirms that our high-quality activities significantly support the economic and social development of the region, always considering sustainability. Moreover, we've managed to advance in an increasingly competitive environment, as the number of universities on the list has grown significantly over the years, now exceeding two thousand. Over 80 percent of students worldwide consider an institution's sustainability contributions when choosing where to study, indicating that this factor is crucial not only for businesses," said Dr Eszter Lukács, Vice President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations and Head of the Sustainability Competence Centre at Széchenyi István University. She added that the ranking list's creators also consider publications on sustainability by searching for keywords related to each SDG in the Scopus database to determine universities' scientific performance concerning each goal.

A delegation from Széchenyi István University attended the THE Global Sustainable Development Congress in Bangkok, where THE Impact Rankings results were announced. The photo shows Péter Németh, the University's scientific secretary, Célia Szénássy, Head, International Relations and Alumni Department, Magdalena Marzec, THE regional director, Dr Eszter Lukács, Vice President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations, as well as Dr András Torma, Head of the Department of Applied Sustainability.

"We are proud of this achievement, which is a shared success of all our colleagues who perform quality work. This underscores that our University belongs to the elite of international higher education in terms of commitment to sustainability. We strive to continue contributing significantly to societal well-being and development through our research and innovations," emphasized Dr Bálint Filep, President of Széchenyi István University.

The success of Széchenyi István University's sustainability efforts is further validated by its performance in the THE Impact Rankings. (Photo: Csaba Krizsán)