World University Rankings: How to (really) include sustainability

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Including the universities’ commitment to sustainability in the evaluation of their performance around the world is the new proposal addressed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers of Ca’ Foscari to academia and to the most significant ranking organizations such as the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), QS and THE Ranking.

The researchers are not just calling attention to the issue: in an article they listed measureable criteria that can be easily included and analyzed to encourage a better implementation of sustainable policies.

There is currently only the UI World GreenMetric University Ranking which takes into account this topic, with some shortcomings. As the professors of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice Antonella Basso, Marta Cardin, Achille Giacometti and Chiara Mio explained: “Sustainability does not simply entail ‘being green’. Apart from the environment, we suggest to consider social sustainability and the relation with the local community. Furthermore one must not forget the context: rewarding the use of bikes instead of driving, in a city like Venice where bikes are forbidden by law this would be inadequate, for instance. If the goal is to encourage ‘green’ transportation, why not rewarding walking, instead, in such an instance?”.

Not all the universities are equal when it comes to rankings and to sustainable architecture. Universities which deal with buildings that are subject to legal constraints linked to the protection of architectural heritage cannot be compared to young universities which can freely decide how to organize their campuses.

For these reasons some indicators take into account possible shortcomings or constraints while other - including those related to waste management and recycling - are measured in relation to the average of the country in which the university is located.

At a time when sustainability is becoming a key element in evaluating firms, fighting climate change and poverty and promoting inclusion and differences are key challenges for the implementation of sustainable development. As the researchers explained, universities have a social responsibility as well as a central role to play in disseminating these principles. Including them in relevant rankings would facilitate their dissemination at all levels.