Best universities for reducing inequalities

By seeta.bhardwa@…, 28 October, 2024

First-generation students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are still poorly represented in higher education. But universities are working hard to rectify this, and the Impact Rankings are an indicator of which institutions are doing this successfully.

To compile this ranking, we mapped how universities around the world are committing to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are a global call to action to tackle poverty, climate change and inequality.

The SDGs look to tackle some of today’s biggest global issues, and SDG 10 in particular covers reducing inequalities.

Some of the metrics that helped measure which universities are excelling at reducing inequalities were the number of first-generation students, the number of students from developing countries, the proportion of students and staff with disabilities, measures against discrimination and the amount of research a university undertakes on reduced inequalities. More information on the methodology can be found here.

These are the top five universities for reducing inequality:

1. RMIT University

RMIT University is committed to working across all the SDGs, and SDG 10 is no exception.

RMIT is conducting a number of research projects that explore inequalities in all aspects of society in Australia and beyond. One such project focuses on the liveability of Australian cities through analysing public transport systems, public open spaces, housing affordability, walkability, employment and food and alcohol environments.

2. University of Huddersfield

The University of Huddersfield has implemented a range of anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies for students and staff.

The university offers mentoring, counselling and peer support to members of the university community: for example, with care-experienced students through the work of care-leaver support coordinators, or among staff through the work of diversity champions and the networks for BAME, LGBTQI+, female and disabled staff.

3. London South Bank University

London South Bank University collaborates with local boroughs to tackle social concerns.

It has partnerships with the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark to develop training and development programmes for local residents and to help small businesses grow.

The university’s Centre for Social Justice and Global Responsibility conducts research and brings together experts in a range of areas including access to justice, crime, disability, human rights, migration and sustainability, working to ensure understanding and inclusiveness.

4. Aalborg University

Aalborg University conducts a range of research projects related to tackling inequalities, looking into social housing, language inequalities, policies for refugees and much more.

The university has three research units dedicated to researching inequalities.

5. Sheffield Hallam University

Staff and students at Sheffield Hallam University regularly take part in volunteering and community projects. This includes local organisations, charities and student-led projects.

The university’s Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice is a leading centre for social justice and human rights. Its central values are those of widening access to justice and education, the promotion of human rights, ethics in legal practice, equality and a respect for human dignity in overcoming social injustice.


The top 100 universities for reducing inequality

Reduciing inequalities rank 2024UniversityCountry/region
1RMIT UniversityAustralia
2University of HuddersfieldUnited Kingdom
3London South Bank UniversityUnited Kingdom
4Aalborg UniversityDenmark
5Sheffield Hallam UniversityUnited Kingdom
6KIIT UniversityIndia
7University of CanberraAustralia
8Western Sydney UniversityAustralia
9Central Queensland UniversityAustralia
=10Flinders UniversityAustralia
=10Keele UniversityUnited Kingdom
=10University of GlasgowUnited Kingdom
=10Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamNetherlands
14Qatar UniversityQatar
15Brunel University of LondonUnited Kingdom
16University of the West of ScotlandUnited Kingdom
=17Glasgow Caledonian UniversityUnited Kingdom
=17University of AberdeenUnited Kingdom
=17University of LeedsUnited Kingdom
20University of StirlingUnited Kingdom
21University of LimerickIreland
22University of EssexUnited Kingdom
23Arizona State University (Tempe)United States
=24Aston UniversityUnited Kingdom
=24Dublin City UniversityIreland
=24University of WollongongAustralia
27University of ReadingUnited Kingdom
=28Ahlia UniversityBahrain
=28University of GreenwichUnited Kingdom
30University of the West of EnglandUnited Kingdom
=31King’s College LondonUnited Kingdom
=31University of SurreyUnited Kingdom
33York UniversityCanada
34University of ExeterUnited Kingdom
35McMaster UniversityCanada
36Bangor UniversityUnited Kingdom
37University of TasmaniaAustralia
38Victoria UniversityAustralia
=39Holy Spirit University of KaslikLebanon
=39La Trobe UniversityAustralia
=39University of AucklandNew Zealand
42Monash UniversityAustralia
=43Queen’s University BelfastUnited Kingdom
=43University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyUnited States
45Nottingham Trent UniversityUnited Kingdom
=46Lancaster UniversityUnited Kingdom
=46University of JohannesburgSouth Africa
48University of Technology SydneyAustralia
49University of LiverpoolUnited Kingdom
50Newcastle UniversityUnited Kingdom
=51Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
=51University of NorthamptonUnited Kingdom
=51University of StrathclydeUnited Kingdom
54Loughborough UniversityUnited Kingdom
55Middlesex UniversityUnited Kingdom
56University of BresciaItaly
57Al-Ahliyya Amman UniversityJordan
58University of BordeauxFrance
59University of HullUnited Kingdom
60Politecnico di MilanoItaly
61ExceliaFrance
62University of Southern DenmarkDenmark
=63Al Ain UniversityUnited Arab Emirates
=63University of VictoriaCanada
=65University of KonstanzGermany
=65University of LincolnUnited Kingdom
=67Montpellier UniversityFrance
=67Université Catholique de LouvainBelgium
69Macquarie UniversityAustralia
70National and Kapodistrian University of AthensGreece
71Iran University of Medical SciencesIran
72The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong
72Universiti Utara MalaysiaMalaysia
73University of CalgaryCanada
74University of BolognaItaly
75University of WarwickUnited Kingdom
=76Gulf Medical UniversityUnited Arab Emirates
=76Oklahoma State UniversityUnited States
=78James Cook UniversityAustralia
=78Toronto Metropolitan UniversityCanada
=80Concordia UniversityCanada
=80Sapienza University of RomeItaly
=80Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityUnited States
84Maynooth UniversityIreland
85University of TusciaItaly
86University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusUnited States
87Florida International UniversityUnited States
88University of PretoriaSouth Africa
89University of SussexUnited Kingdom
90Durham UniversityUnited Kingdom
=91American University of the Middle EastKuwait
=91Daffodil International University (DIU)Bangladesh
=91University of ManchesterUnited Kingdom
=91University of Rennes 1France
=95Canadian University DubaiUnited Arab Emirates
=95University of ValenciaSpain
97University of PassauGermany
=98IE UniversitySpain
100Old Dominion UniversityUnited States

October 2024: After the publication of the Impact Rankings 2024, we identified errors in some universities’ evidence scores. In line with our corrections policy, the affected universities’ scores were recalculated.As per THE’s rankings correction policy, the amendments made only affect the universities in question. We do not rerun the complete ranking. All other universities maintain their original rank. This article was updated to reflect the new scores. More information on the changes can be found here. 

 Editor’s note: As part of our THE statement on Ukraine published on 2 March 2022, Russian universities have been given less prominence in our rankings. Russian universities that met the criteria for this ranking are not displayed in the table above.

Standfirst

Explore the top 100 universities for reducing inequalities based on data collected for the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings

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