IMC Krems is the first Austrian University of Applied Sciences to be listed in one of the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) rankings already last year. The THE Impact Rankings 2023 evaluated 1,591 universities, making it the most comprehensive and diverse sustainability ranking for universities worldwide. The THE Impact Rankings are the only performance tables that assess higher education institutions against the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this purpose, carefully aligned indicators are used to provide a comprehensive and balanced comparison in four major thematic areas: Research, Administration, Knowledge Transfer and Teaching. IMC Krems participated in the assessment of five SDG goals and is one of only three higher education institutions in Austria, as well as the only University of Applied Sciences in Austria, to be listed among the best institutions worldwide.
Rankings in 5 SDGs
In the ranking on "SDG 4 - Quality Education", which deals with ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, IMC Krems is listed among the top 400 higher education institutions.
The ranking on "SDG 5 - Gender Equality" measures gender equality, gender equality policies and commitment to recruiting and promoting women. Here, IMC Krems is listed among the top 800. It received particularly good ratings for the proportion of women earning degrees.
In the ranking on "SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure", which looks at industry and innovation, the number of patents and spin-off companies, and research funding from industry, IMC Krems is listed among the 600 best universities. Outstanding ratings were given to research income from industry and commerce.
In the ranking on "SDG 12 - Sustainable Consumption and Production", which deals with responsible consumption and the approach to sustainable use of resources, IMC Krems is in the top 400 universities. Here, IMC Krems was ranked highly in several sub-areas at once, including research on SDG 12, the share of recycled waste and the publication of the sustainability report.
The ranking on "SDG 17 - Partnerships to Achieve the Goals" is about international cooperation, the promotion of best practices and the publication of data concerning the SDGs. Here, IMC Krems is among the best 1001+ universities worldwide.
"To appear for the second time as a small university in one of the THE Rankings - the most renowned university rankings - is a milestone. At the same time, we are motivated for future improvements to climb even further up the rankings," notes the academic director of IMC Krems, Prof.(FH) Dr. Martin Waiguny.
About the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
The Impact Rankings of the British magazine Times Higher Education assess the efforts of universities with regard to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It assesses how universities contribute to society in addition to research and teaching, how they transfer knowledge and technology, and how they fulfil their role model function for good working conditions, compliance with equality and diversity standards, and ecologically oriented action. The universities themselves decide which of the 17 sustainability goals they participate in the ranking. The Impact Rankings took place this year for the fifth time in a row and included 1,591 universities from 112 countries.
