The University of Bucharest ranks first in Romania and 93rd globally for its commitment to sustainable development, according to the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

UB ranks 3rd in the world for its Impact and contribution to the “Gender Equality” goal

The University of Bucharest is ranked first in Romania and 93rd globally according to the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, one of the most prestigious international academic rankings that evaluates universities based on their progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This marks the first time a Romanian university has placed in the global top 100 in the overall Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025.

At the national level, among the 25 Romanian universities included in the ranking, the University of Bucharest leads the list, followed by three members of the Universitaria Consortium: the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ranked 201–300), “Babeș-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca (401–600), and “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu (401–600).

The University of Bucharest: top 3 globally for its impact and contributions to the ”Gender Equality” Goal

The Impact Rankings evaluate higher education institutions based on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda. The ranking methodology considers each university’s top three highest-scoring SDGs, along with a mandatory score for SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals. For this edition, the University of Bucharest reported data for 9 of the 17 goals. Of those, UB ranked first nationally in seven, specifically: SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals (joint first place nationally, along with the Bucharest University of Economic Studies; both ranked in the 101–200 range globally).

The highest-scoring category for UB was SDG 5 – Gender Equality, where the University ranks 3rd in the world in the 2025 edition of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

“This exceptional placement, among the global top 100 overall and top 3 for gender equality, reaffirms the University of Bucharest’s mission to be a space of excellence, inclusion, and social responsibility. It is a recognition of the sustained efforts of our academic community and a strong encouragement to continue shaping a sustainable future for Romania and the world through education and research. This achievement is not only a source of pride but also a renewed commitment to take concrete action to reduce inequalities, promote equity, protect the environment, and strengthen partnerships that lead to real change. The University of Bucharest will continue to be an active, responsible force in transforming education and society, within Romania and beyond” , stated Professor Marian Preda, PhD, Rector of the University of Bucharest.

Other notable global rankings for UB in the 2025 Impact Rankings: top 25 globally for SDG 4 – Quality Education, top 36 globally for SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,  top 83 globally for SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, 84th globally for SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth. Finally, the University of Bucharest ranks 101–200 globally for SDG 1 – No Poverty, 301–400 globally (tied with Babeș-Bolyai University) for SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, and 401–600 globally for SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being.

Through this unprecedented performance, the University of Bucharest reaffirms its role as a leader in Romanian higher education and a respected international academic partner. Ranking among the world’s top 100 universities for sustainable development highlights the university’s consistent commitment to values such as equity, social responsibility, quality education, and active community engagement.

This result also signals a firm commitment to the future: UB will continue building a university that is grounded in reality, responsive to societal needs, and ready to tackle global challenges through knowledge, collaboration, and innovation.

The full rankings and details on the methodology used to assess university engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals are available here.