The University of the Sunshine Coast has claimed top spot in Australia for research and initiatives to reduce hunger locally and internationally.
UniSC was also named Queensland's top university for Life on Land and 8th globally, thanks to the university's conservation research and programs to protect and enhance plant and animal species, particularly those under threat.
The results are from the prestigious global Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings that measure how institutions worldwide advance sustainability in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
UniSC is ranked 59th globally from 1603 institutions, placing the university in the top 4 percent of universities worldwide, and reflecting UniSC's ongoing commitment to sustainability.
UniSC is also ranked in the world's top 30 universities for three UN Sustainable Development Goals - Life on Land, Climate Action and Zero Hunger.
UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett, said sustainability was a key focus of UniSC.
"These results reflect our commitment to sustainability, achieved through research projects, teaching, outreach and leadership in the field," Professor Bartlett said.
"We are contributing to efforts to end hunger through research, education and action. This includes research in improving nutrition and sustainable agriculture as well as providing food security for students.
"Our Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research is doing great work supporting communities in the Pacific to shape a more sustainable future. This includes research and projects developing food systems and aquaculture.
"We also performed particularly well in Life on Land, including for ecosystem education and land-sensitive waste disposal, which is testament to how we practise what we teach across our campus network.
"Our world-class research around the protection and enhancement of animal and plant species is expansive, and includes projects in wildlife habitat protection, sustainable forest restoration and biosecurity.
"UniSC's new turtle research and rehabilitation facility at Hervey Bay, the Milbi Centre, is an example of our commitment to conserving threatened species. The centre is a hub for vital research and rehabilitation of injured and ill turtles from our region.
"Sustainability in university operations is also a core consideration in these rankings, and our results reflect some of unique approaches to sustainability on campus, including our thermal water battery harnessing solar power for energy, thoughtful landscaping to minimise water use, and a campus waste reduction system that includes onsite processing."
UniSC results include:
- Zero Hunger - 1st in Australia and 1st in Queensland
- Life on Land - 2nd in Australia and 1st in Queensland
- Climate Action - 2nd in Queensland
- Clean Water & Sanitation - 3rd in Queensland
UniSC operates across three interconnecting UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, where people live and develop sustainably alongside active conservation.
