UCL has secured the top position in the UK, 3rd in Europe, and 5th globally in the 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings, announced today.
Now in their third year, the rankings assess universities on their ability to tackle critical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges, with UCL standing out among 1,744 universities worldwide and 98 in the UK.
Global leadership
Achieving an impressive overall score of 98.6 out of 100, UCL's performance highlights its commitment to environmental and social sustainability.
UCL excelled in several categories this year, including:
1st globally and in the UK in Knowledge Exchange: recognising UCL's efforts in fostering partnerships between developed and developing regions, driving educational growth, and creating positive impacts for both local and global communities. From innovative UCL start-ups, spanning packaging solutions, architecture, and living walls, to collaborations with the National Trust and the European Space Agency.
1st in the UK and 3rd globally in Health and Wellbeing: Reflecting UCL's commitment to promoting the wellbeing of both its students and society at large through innovative health initiatives and forward-thinking policies around psychological support and wellbeing.
1st in the UK and 5th globally in Environmental Sustainability: Highlighting UCL's sustainable operations, teaching, and research. Our new interdisciplinary research centres address some of the biggest sustainability challenges of our era. We offer nearly 4,000 sustainability modules and are making steady progress towards our sector-leading commitment to net-zero (across scopes 1 and 2) by 2030. We also support our alumni in driving sustainable change, from rewilding projects to reducing packaging in global logistics.
A decade of sustainability progress
UCL has been driving sustainability forward for over a decade. In 2019, we launched our Sustainability Strategy (2019-2024), setting out a vision for a sustainable future. Since then, we have shown that change is possible, reducing carbon emissions by 56%, opening our first net-zero carbon building at PEARL and reducing waste by 60% per person.
In 2024 we became a signatory of the UKRI Environmental Concordat to support sustainable research, and our LEAF tool for sustainable labs has now become the world's largest sustainable labs accreditation scheme supporting action locally and globally.
We have introduced initiatives to advance sustainable research and innovation, including the establishment of the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, the UCL Centre for Net Zero Market Design and the launch of the Climate Crisis Grand Challenge, which aims to foster a cross-disciplinary approach to addressing the climate crisis.
We recognise that there is still much more to do. That's why we are in the process of developing a new Sustainability Plan, set to launch in 2025, acknowledging significant challenges and harnessing our research capability to deliver measurable outcomes for UCL.
Student and staff wellbeing
UCL's Student Support and Wellbeing Services combine innovative solutions with academic and professional expertise to provide comprehensive mental health and wellbeing support for students. As one of the first five UK universities to achieve the Mental Health Chartermark, we have accelerated our efforts to deliver impactful, preventative, and evidence-based interventions through campaigns co-designed with the Students' Union UCL.
Working closely with the NHS and third-sector organisations, we ensure specialist services are accessible to students when needed. Our Psychological First Aid service, delivered in partnership with the University Clinic and based on a World Health Organisation-approved model, exemplifies our ability to scale support.
The QS rankings support UCL's recognition in other areas, with UCL maintaining First-Class Honours in the People and Planet University League for seven consecutive years. UCL was also awarded the ''University of the Year 2024'' by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. The guide highlighted our new and ''visionary'' UCL East Campus and the prominence of our climate change experts in the media.
Looking ahead
Dr Michael Spence, UCL President & Provost, expressed pride in UCL's achievements, stating: "Achieving the top position in the UK, 3rd in Europe, and 5th globally in the 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings is a significant milestone for UCL. This recognition reflects our commitment to sustainability and the collective efforts of our community. Our groundbreaking research and innovative health programmes, along with our dedication to environmental sustainability, is making headway and having a significant impact on both local and global scales. However, while we celebrate these achievements, we also recognise that there is still much work to be done. We must continue to push the boundaries of what is possible and remain committed to fostering a sustainable future for all."
Jason Clarke, UCL Assistant Director of Sustainability, said: ''This achievement in the QS Sustainability Rankings reflects UCL's commitment to tackling key environmental, social, and governance challenges. Ranked first in the UK and fifth globally, it highlights the impact of UCL's initiatives aimed at reducing campus carbon emissions, promoting a circular economy in catering and labs, and embedding sustainability into our education. This success is driven by the dedication of our staff, students, and partners, whose efforts-whether in advancing sustainable procurement practices or incorporating sustainability into teaching-are helping to create a healthier, more sustainable future.''
UCL is continuing its sustainability leadership with the introduction of a new UCL Sustainability Plan in 2025. This plan aims to build on past successes, acknowledge significant challenges, and provide a roadmap for driving meaningful progress over the next decade. We will be harnessing the best of UCL's research capability to meet challenging goals from delivering net zero carbon emissions to increasing biodiversity on campus.
Ben Sowter, QS Vice President, said: "Whilst institutions in the UK perform well in these results, with as many as 17 of the top 50, we are responsibility bound to observe that this is a rapidly moving performance area, and these relative positions should not be permitted to obscure the reality that there is a lot of work yet to be done, even amongst the leaders in this list. Universities can be, and broadly aspire to be, trailblazers in this space and we hope these metrics, and their inclusion in our flagship results, help them harness the support they need from stakeholders to take their rightful role in shaping the future of humanity."
