UNC Charlotte was recognized recently by Times Higher Education for its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
UNC Charlotte ranked in six categories and among the top 12 for U.S. universities in three categories:
- Good Health and Well-Being: Tied for No. 7 among U.S. universities and one of the top 20% ranked programs in the world. This category measures research on key diseases and conditions and support for health care professions, and the health of students, faculty and staff.
- Responsible Consumption and Production: Tied for No. 7 among U.S. universities and among the top third of ranked universities in the world. This category measures research on responsible consumption and a university’s approach to sustainable use of resources.
- Clean Water and Sanitation: Tied for No. 12 among U.S. universities and among the top 50% of ranked universities in the world. This category measures research related to water and water usage, and a university’s commitment to good water management.
For THE's 2023 International Impact Rankings, released June 1, the publication assessed 1,591 institutions from 112 countries or regions, measuring four key indicators: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching. The annual rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the UN’s 17 goals and provide a comparison based on data submitted by the universities.
UNC Charlotte received its highest scores in areas of collaborations and health services (91.1) and health research (87.7).
"To support our strategic vision as an emerging top-tier global research university, we are focused on making UNC Charlotte a national leader in sustainability,” said Michael Lizotte, UNC Charlotte’s sustainability officer. “To be again recognized and included among many of the world’s top universities in this area illustrates the great work our faculty, staff and students are doing as we drive progress for our region and for North Carolina."
The rankings factor in several growing areas of research for UNC Charlotte, including the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks, or CIPHER. The interdisciplinary research center builds upon the University's growing success in bioinformatics, which has been crucial to understanding the health risks of variants of COVID-19. The center comprises 48 researchers and 23 interdisciplinary scientists from across the University with newly renovated space that includes eight wet labs and 14 computational labs.
Charlotte also is recognized for its nationally ranked Master of Public Health and strong partnerships and community engagement throughout the region. These include:
- The Academy for Research on Community Health, Engagement and Services, or ARCHES, through the College of Health and Human Services.
- The UCITY Family Zone
- Events and programming that promote good mental health offered through the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services.
- An integrated care model for students — the Center for Integrated Care, which debuted last fall, provides a one-stop shop for student wellness planning, referrals and connection to health and well-being resources, supporting the ongoing increase of equity in health services for all students on campus.
This is the second year Charlotte has participated in the THE Impact Rankings. The submission is part of a larger University effort to lead in sustainability.
The Office of Sustainability, under the Division of Business Affairs, collaborates with faculty, staff and students to measure progress, propose solutions, initiate changes, develop skills and share experiences that create conditions contributing to environmental, social and financial dimensions of sustainability.
This is one of two Times Higher Education university rankings. For the 2023 Times Higher Education World University rankings, released in November, Charlotte climbed 33 spots among U.S. universities.
Related:
UNC Charlotte earns AASHE STARS Silver rating for ongoing sustainability initiatives