We are thrilled to share that University College London has ranked 1st in the UK, 3rd in Europe and 5th globally in the recently-announced 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings. Assessing 98 universities within the UK alone and 1,744 institutions from across the globe, the QS Sustainability Rankings focus on a number of key factors, including environmental impact, social impact and overall governance. With an impressive score of 98.6 out of 100, the rankings confirm UCL’s mission to put people and the planet first.

Now in their third year, the QS Sustainability Rankings assess the ability of universities to tackle substantial environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges, and score institutions based on metrics such as environmental sustainability, equality, employment and opportunities, and health and wellbeing. This year, UCL excelled in a number of categories, ranking 1st globally and in the UK in Knowledge Exchange. This recognises our efforts in fostering partnerships between developed and developing regions to not only drive educational growth, but also create a positive impact for local and global communities.

Additionally, UCL ranked 1st in the UK and 3rd globally in Health and Wellbeing and 1st in the UK and 5th globally in Environmental Sustainability. With the university offering almost 4,000 sustainability modules across all programmes and progressing towards its sector-leading commitment to net-zero, UCL remains committed to sustainable teaching and operations. In 2024 alone, UCL achieved a number of key sustainability goals, including becoming a single-use-plastic free campus and ensuring all buildings are net zero carbon. Our buildings are also 100% powered by renewable energy.

Access the QS Sustainability Rankings 2025 or find out more about sustainability at UCL