Coventry University Group’s net zero efforts see jump up QS World University Rankings: Sustainability standings

Coventry University's EEC building on a sunny day with trees and grass in the foreground

Coventry University Group has jumped up in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability standings

University news

Tuesday 05 December 2023

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Press Team
press.mac@coventry.ac.uk


Coventry University’s efforts to transition to a sustainable campus have been recognised by the 2nd edition of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, placing the Group inside the top 250 universities in the world and top 50 in the UK.

The rankings highlight the different ways in which higher education institutions are taking action to tackle the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance issues.

Placing 244th in the global standings, the university’s position has risen considerably from last year’s ranking, when it placed in the 501-550 band. Coventry also performed well more locally, ranking as the 117th in Europe and 44th in the United Kingdom.

Coventry University’s ongoing efforts had already seen it being ranked as a Gold Tier University in the Uswitch Green University Report 2023 and winning the prestigious Bees’ Needs Champions Award 2023 for the university’s dedication to creating a biodiverse campus.

The university is also helping society to shift to net zero through its impactful research into green battery technology, hydrogen fuel and future transport. Its commitment to tackling climate change is also showcased through a number of projects, including the Clean Futures programme, which is supporting small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop new technology for green transportation in the UK, and the relaunch of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), which is playing a critical step in the transition to electric transport manufacturing through innovative teaching and research.

The QS rankings success comes just a day after Professor John Latham CBE, the Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Coventry University Group, spoke at COP28 to highlight the impact young people can have on climate change.

These highly respected rankings assess over 1,400 universities across the globe and to see Coventry University performing so well across each of the categories is a major achievement for the university.

We’re committed to integrating sustainability and clean growth in all that we do across the Group. These are themes central to our corporate strategy and, from our academics to our researchers, we make a real, tangible difference to the communities we serve while equipping our students with the technical and theoretical knowledge to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of the day.

These rankings reflect the incredible work that is being undertaken by colleagues throughout the UK and worldwide, and I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved in this space so far.

Professor John Latham CBE, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Coventry University Group

Comprised of three categories – Environmental Impact, Social Impact and Governance – the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability provide a holistic view of an institution’s impact on international issues. The hugely positive work taking place across the Group is well represented in the global standings with Coventry University placing just outside the top 100 in Governance (102nd) and improving in both the Social Impact (233rd) and Environmental Impact (361st) categories.

The emphasis the Group places on social impact has also been recognised. Throughout 2023, Coventry University has continued to work with anchor institutions and local service providers to respond to their needs and offer solutions to specific challenges within our communities. These efforts have been recognised in two of the Social Impact category subsections, with Coventry University earning a global ranking of 89th for Equality and 163rd for Health and Wellbeing.

The facilities and infrastructure we have in place, from the Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion System (C-ALPS) to the Beatrice Shilling building, are designed with clean growth in mind and promote innovation and collaboration among students and academics alike.

Mark Cammies, Managing Director Property, Facilities and Infrastructure Management

Find out more about the Research Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion Systems.