The University of Newcastle's strong commitment to sustainability has been recognised globally, with the university ranking second in the world for Climate Action in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
The rankings, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), benchmark how more than 2,300 universities worldwide are progressing toward the goals. Institutions can receive individual rankings for each of the 17 SDGs and an overall ranking, with the University of Newcastle's overall result placing it in the top 40 globally.
The University also ranked in the top 100 globally across seven categories, including 9th for Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG3) and 35th for Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG6).
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky AO explained that ranking so highly for a critical area like Climate Action reflected the University's deep commitment to sustainability and the environment.
"These rankings demonstrate that the University of Newcastle is among the world's top universities in our commitment to solving global challenges and creating a more equitable and sustainable future," Professor Zelinsky said.
"Our students are socially responsible and environmentally conscious, and they want their university to share these values. We've embedded sustainability into every aspect of our University, from the way we teach our students, to our research projects, the way we build our buildings and how we power our campuses.
"It's also a result that is particularly important for the Hunter, which is emerging as a hub for clean energy. Our partnerships across the region are helping to drive that change and this global ranking shows we're leading the way."
The University's Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) partnership is one example of how the University's action toward climate change is helping to create a more sustainable future.
"Through the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy, we're developing innovations to help reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. We're advancing our printed solar technology, developing cleaner greener fuel sources, and finding innovative uses for hydrogen as part of a low carbon economy," Professor Zelinsky said.
"We're also proud to be working on climate action initiatives with partners such as Google Australia. We're helping them assess the feasibility of geothermal energy as part of their effort to be carbon free by 2030. On a global front, we're also advancing collaborations in the Asia Pacific region through initiatives such as the Moata'a Living Lab in Samoa, which aims to protect ecosystems and boost climate change resilience."
