Sustainability Rankings

Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026

To be included in the overall ranking, institutions must submit data on the mandatory SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and at least three other Sustainable Development Goals. If a university reports results in multiple SDG areas, the overall score is calculated based on the three highest-scoring goals and the mandatory SDG 17. The detailed methodology is available here. In the Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, Palacký University achieved its best results in SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The mandatory SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) was also included in the overall assessment. The highest possible score is 100 points.

Of the nine Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) evaluated for which Palacký University submitted data, it ranked once in the TOP 200, three times in the TOP 300, and three times in the TOP 400. Among Czech universities, its results are mostly in the middle of the rankings.

The QS Sustainability Rankings are based on a combination of data provided by participating universities, Elsevier data, public national statistics, and reputation surveys. This year's rankings include 2,002 universities from around the world (251 more than last year), including 15 from the Czech Republic. 

Palacký University ranked 423^rd, which is a drop from last year's 360th place, despite improving all its sub-scores.

As usual, it performed best in the Good Governance category (214th place, score of 90.6). This area assesses the quality of university management and administration. Its excellent score earned Palacký University third place in the Czech Republic and first place within the Aurora Alliance.

UP ranks 500^th in the Social Impact category. It achieved its best sub-score in the Health & Wellbeing indicator (228^th place), where it ranks second in the Czech Republic and first in the Aurora Alliance. This indicator, which assesses the institution's commitment to improving the health and well-being of humanity as a whole and of its own employees and students, is clearly UP's best indicator according to its score (93.7), ranking it 2nd in the Czech Republic and 1st in the Aurora Alliance. 

It scored around 80 points in the following indicators: Equality (411^th place), Knowledge Exchange (489^th place), and Environmental Research (497^th place). The Equality indicator assesses the scientific performance of institutions in areas related to SDG 5 and SDG 10, gender balance, support for disadvantaged groups at the university, and the anchoring of inclusion in binding documents. It also includes the results of a reputation survey among academics and national statistics on equality. The Knowledge Exchange indicator tracks how institutions collaborate in research, share knowledge, and support the development of education. Finally, the Environmental Research indicator measures the impact of the university's research on areas related to the UN's environmental goals (SDGs) and assesses how the institution contributes to addressing global environmental challenges through scientific activity.

The most significant shift occurred in the Employability and Opportunities indicator, where the university increased its score from 56.8 to 65.6. This indicator assesses the university's ability to ensure successful careers for its graduates, its links with employers, and the impact of its research on relevant SDG targets, supplemented by graduate opinions and national employment statistics.

The results of the ranking show that Palacký University achieves the best results in the area of management and support of wellbeing, while there is still room for improvement in environmental and some social indicators. Although the overall ranking has fallen this year, the gradual increase in partial scores indicates a positive trend in the implementation of the sustainability strategy. 

The comparison focuses on six main areas: Facilities and Infrastructure, Energy and Climate Change, Waste Management, Water Management, Transportation, and Education and Research. In each area, 5 to 20 indicators are filled in, to which evidence must be attached, for example in the form of a photograph, a link to a website, or a verbal description. In 2024, questions concerning ICT support for individual areas were newly included in the ranking.

Palacký University earned significantly higher scores than last year in the areas of Energy and Climate Change and Waste Management. In the other four areas, there was a slight decline compared to last year.

Our university performs best in the areas of Waste Management, Water, and Transport, where it scored 86% of the maximum possible rating; it also scored over 70% in the areas of Water Management and Transport. We have room for improvement in the area of Facilities and Infrastructure, where we scored 51% of the possible points.

We received the maximum number of points in 26 out of a total of 58 indicators.

Point gains for Czech universities in 2025

Overall, universities in the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom performed the best. As is traditional, Wageningen University[MZ1] & Research in the Netherlands took first place, followed by University College Cork in Ireland, with Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom rounding out the top three most environmentally friendly universities. More information.