Nguyen Tat Thanh University Affirms Its Position in the Global Top 300 of THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026

On June 24, 2026, Times Higher Education (THE) officially announced THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 — a global ranking that assesses the contributions of universities toward the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nguyen Tat Thanh University made a remarkable milestone by climbing the ranks and securing its position in the top 300 global universities.

The year 2026 marks an important transition as THE officially changed the name of the ranking from THE Impact Rankings to THE Sustainability Impact Ratings, while concurrently launching an international member network called the Sustainability Impact Network. This change represents an orientation toward upgrading evaluation quality, focusing on higher education institutions with independently verified commitments to sustainable development.

This year’s ranking brings together 1,646 universities from 116 countries and territories, reflecting the increasingly deep and broad participation of the global higher education community in implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The application of stricter evaluation criteria also contributes to enhancing the representation, reliability, and reference value of the entire ranking system. On a regional scale, there are 352 ASEAN universities ranked, with 25 universities notably breaking into the Global Top 200.

Vietnam alone has 17 participating universities, an increase of 01 institution compared to 2025, reflecting the strong resilience and dynamism of Vietnamese higher education on the journey of international integration regarding sustainable development.

According to THE’s ranking results, Nguyen Tat Thanh University made a phenomenal impression by advancing its rank to secure a spot in the 201–300 cohort globally, placing second among the 17 participating Vietnamese universities. This achievement reflects the University’s persistent, consistent efforts and its well-directed sustainable development strategy.

Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam, Vice President of the University, on behalf of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, receives the ranking results from Ms. Julie McMahon, Vice President of Times Higher Education Asia-Pacific APAC

Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam, Vice President of the University, takes a commemorative photo with Mr. Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education

The results demonstrate that Nguyen Tat Thanh University’s SDGs were recognized with multiple outstanding achievements, including:

• • SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: This is the area where Nguyen Tat Thanh University recorded its most prominent achievement in the 2026 evaluation cycle. With a score of 90.9, the University is ranked 71st out of 1,610 universities worldwide. Notably, the SDG Report Publication index achieved a perfect score of 100/100, while the Partnerships for SDGs criterion rose sharply to 93.3 points. This result demonstrates that the University’s capacity for international cooperation, multi-stakeholder connection, and commitment to implementing sustainable development goals is recognized among the world’s leading group.
  • SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being: Continuing to leverage its strengths in the health sciences field, Nguyen Tat Thanh University is placed in the global 101–200 group. This achievement reflects the effectiveness of the strategy to train high-quality medical human resources, promote biomedical research, and drive community healthcare activities, thereby contributing to enhancing life quality and social welfare.
  • SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: Nguyen Tat Thanh University maintains its position in the global 101–200 cohort out of more than 1,000 institutions evaluated. This is the second consecutive year the University has achieved outstanding results in this goal, confirming the efficacy of its training model tied to the practical needs of enterprises, emphasizing career competence and the adaptability of learners in a highly volatile labor market.
  • SDG 4 – Quality Education: The University continues to sustain its robust growth momentum by ranking in the global 201–300 group. This result follows an extraordinary leap from the 1001–1500 group back in 2024, reflecting continuous efforts in curriculum innovation, teaching quality improvement, international accreditation advancement, and expanding learning opportunities for students.
  • SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: Moving up from the 601–800 group in 2025, Nguyen Tat Thanh University climbed to the global 401–600 group in 2026. This improvement illustrates the University’s dedication to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive educational environment, creating conditions for all learners to have equal access to quality education and comprehensive development.

SDG achievement certificates of Nguyen Tat Thanh University

According to Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam – Vice President of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, the results of THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 serve as a well-deserved recognition for the continuous efforts of all leaders, lecturers, and students of the University.

Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam emphasized that the University does not view this as a destination but as a journey – each ranking cycle is an opportunity for Nguyen Tat Thanh University to listen to feedback from the international academic community, thereby continuing to reinforce what it is doing well and extending contributions to areas where society has even greater needs.

The goal pursued by the University is to build an institution that not only trains individuals who are proficient in their professions but also individuals who are responsible and ready to create a positive impact on the community and the world.

Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam added that in the future, Nguyen Tat Thanh University will continue to promote research activities tied to practical applications, expand cooperation with the community and enterprises, and develop lifelong learning programs to serve the diverse needs of learners. The University also places a strong emphasis on increasing equity in educational access and consolidating a sustainable, humanistic working environment — core values that reflect the long-term commitment to the SDG goals that the University is pursuing.

The results of THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 are a testament to the persistent efforts of Nguyen Tat Thanh University on its journey to implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Steadfast with the direction of “innovation for sustainable development,” the University has integrated SDG goals into its development strategy, training activities, scientific research, knowledge transfer, and community service.

Nguyen Tat Thanh University also clearly identifies international integration for sustainable development as one of its core foundations. The University constantly promotes innovation and entrepreneurship, elevates training quality, and enhances domestic and international cooperation to create practical values for learners and society.

The achievements attained not only reflect the consensus and solidarity of the collective leadership, staff, lecturers, employees, students, trainees, and PhD candidates, but also affirm the role of the University in connecting knowledge with social responsibility. Through training, research, and community service activities, Nguyen Tat Thanh University aims to cultivate comprehensive citizens who possess professional competence, an awareness of environmental and social responsibility, and readiness to contribute to the sustainable development of the nation and the world.

THE Sustainability Impact Ratings is the only global university ranking that assesses institutions across all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, measuring comprehensively across four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching. According to a survey by THE, 85% of member institutions believe that participating in the ranking helps enhance their reputation, and more than half confirm it serves as the best evidence of their commitment to sustainable development.

By: Hong Quang

Information & Images: Quality Assurance Department