We are committed to a sustainable future
In 2022, for the second straight year, Queen’s has ranked in the top 10 of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The rankings measure the actions universities are taking to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within and beyond their local communities. The rankings measured more than 1,500 post-secondary institutions around the world and focused on the impact made in 17 categories measuring sustainability.
Established in 2019, THE Impact Rankings assess a university’s societal impact based on the UN’s SDGs, a set of goals outlining a universal call to action to protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. Using carefully calibrated indicators across four broad areas – research, outreach, teaching, and stewardship – THE Impact Rankings are a recognition of those who are working today to build a better tomorrow.
Here at Bader College, we supported the university’s submission to the THE and were able to provide evidence against several of the criteria. The release of these rankings marks a significant moment for us too here at Bader College as we turn our thoughts to a post-pandemic world and how we as both an academic institution and a commercial entity, will meet the challenges ahead. For some months now, we have been looking at how we can align ourselves closer with the SDGs and how we will communicate this work to our applicants, students, staff, stakeholders and visiting public.
SDGs in action
The nature of the Estate, our location by the coast and our international recruitment profile mean that some SDGs, particularly those around the environment and climate action, inclusivity, and quality education, have real relevance to us. We are now looking at how we build a program of work to make a significant contribution to these goals. Having traditionally relied on our stunning location as one of the primary drivers for students choosing to study at Bader College, it is interesting to note that the THE also released the results of a survey that shows how international students are more likely to choose a university based on its commitment to sustainability than for its location. This shows the importance of communicating our work in these areas to prospective students and engaging them fully while here at the Bader College.