KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) — Universiti Malaya (UM) retained Malaysia’s number one position for the third year in a row in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026.
UM in a statement said, globally, the university ranked 166th out of 2,001 institutions, placing it firmly in the top nine per cent of the world’s most sustainable universities and 16th in Asia.
“With an impressive overall score of 85.4 out of 100, UM’s performance reflects its deep-rooted commitment to embedding sustainability across research, teaching, governance, and community engagement,” UM said.
The QS World University Rankings: Sustainability evaluates universities on how effectively they address urgent global environmental and social challenges, guided by metrics aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UM said, the university also excelled in the Social Impact category, placing 10th in Asia and 163rd globally, bolstered by exceptional achievements in Knowledge Exchange (Rank 71, Score 97.4) and Employability and Opportunities (Rank 99, Score 96.5).
While in the Environmental Impact category, UM ranked 177th globally and 35th in Asia, and maintained its leading national position in Governance, placing 397th globally.
Meanwhile, UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said this achievement reflects UM’s steadfast commitment to sustainability and collective responsibility to shape a new way forward for global prosperity for all including the generations of the future.
“We will continue to advance the SDG and environmental, social and governance (ESG) agendas through research excellence, inclusive education, and responsible governance, ensuring that UM not only excels globally but also drives meaningful impact for humanity and the environment,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
It said UM’s continued rise in the QS Sustainability Rankings reaffirms its role as a national and regional trailblazer, championing transformative change and contributing to Malaysia’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.
— BERNAMA