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QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026
18 November 2025
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QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026
Lund University is the world's top university for sustainability in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, overtaking the University of Toronto, which held first place for the previous two years.
Now in its fourth edition, the rankings feature more than 2,000 institutions across 108 locations and assess university sustainability performance across Environmental Impact, Social Impact and Governance.
QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 key results
- Lund University ranks first globally, overtaking the University of Toronto.
- University College London rises from fifth to third.
- New Zealand leads five sustainability lenses by average score.
- More than 2,000 institutions across 108 locations are ranked.
Which are the world's top universities for sustainability in 2026?
Sweden's Lund University ranks first in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, overtaking the University of Toronto after two years at the top. Lund University also ranks first in two of the three sustainability categories: Environmental Impact and Governance.
The University of Toronto is now second, followed by University College London, who has improved from fifth to third.
The top 10 universities for sustainability in 2026
Which countries have the most universities in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026?
The United States is the most represented location in the 2026 Sustainability Rankings, with 240 institutions, followed by China with 163, the UK with 109 and India with 103.
The UK has particularly strong representation at the top of the ranking, with 30 universities in the global top 100 compared with 16 from the US.
Read more in QS Insights Magazine
In QS Insights Magazine, we have developed the Sustainability supplement. With 10 sustainability-focused articles, get more analysis and insights into sustainability in higher education, for free.
Lund University responds to ranking first for sustainability
"I am incredibly proud"
Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University
"Humble, proud, and inspired to keep striving – that is how I would sum up Lund University being ranked number one in the world," says Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University. Sustainability has long been a clear priority for the university, and the way we work is shaped by a Scandinavian tradition of trust, collaboration, and openness. I am incredibly proud of our employees, students, alumni, and the many organisations and companies we work with – this result is theirs as much as the university’s"
"At the same time, we remain humble, because we know that major challenges remain. Being number one raises the bar for us, and those challenges inspire us to keep pushing forward in an interdisciplinary and innovative way so that the knowledge we generate leads to real impact and lasting change in society."
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