PETALING JAYA: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has emerged as Malaysia’s highest-ranked institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2025.
It sits in joint 14th position with National Taiwan University in the overall ranking, up from 18th place last year.
Coming in second is Universiti Malaya (UM), at joint 25th position with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Sunway University are the other two Malaysian universities that made their way into the top 100 of the rankings. UKM climbed to joint 53rd while Sunway University ranks 81st, up from the 201–300 band.
Malaysia tops three of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with USM taking first place for SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), and joint first with UM for SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
In addition, UM leads the Asia region in sixth place for SDG 14 (life below water), and ranks joint seventh globally for SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 12th for SDG 15 (life on land).
Other Malaysian universities also stood out in individual categories.
Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) ranks 18th for SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), while Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) achieved 41st place for SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).
Additionally, UKM earned 26th position for SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production).
The seventh edition of the University Impact Rankings was released on Wednesday (June 18) by THE, publisher of the globally recognised THE World University Rankings.
The rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the UN SDGs across four broad areas - research, stewardship, outreach and teaching.
Universities are ranked across 18 tables: one overall ranking and 17 tables representing each individual SDG.
A record 2,526 universities ranked globally from 130 countries, with Asian universities claiming more than half of the rankings for the first time.
THE chief global affairs officer Phil Baty said: "Universities worldwide are stepping up to help the world take on its most pressing grand challenges, from the climate crisis to delivering economic growth to supporting peace and justice across the world.
"Asia is leading the way on the sustainability agenda.
"Asia’s clear dominance of the rankings in terms of overall representation, and so many outstanding individual university performances including several world number-one positions for individual SDGs, shows that when it comes to universities’ social and economic impact, the world will increasingly look to Asia."
For more information, visit https://www.timeshighereducation.com/impactrankings.
