Kyungpook National University Ranks 3rd Globally in THE University Impact Rankings — A First for a Korean University
- Date
- 2025/06/19
- Writer
- English
- Hit
- 406
Kyungpook National University (President: Heo Young-woo) has been ranked 3rd in the world in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, released by the prestigious UK-based university assessment organization, THE (Times Higher Education). This achievement marks a significant rise of 36 places from last year’s 39th position, making Kyungpook National University the first Korean university to break into the global top 3.
The THE Impact Rankings evaluate universities based on their research performance as well as their social and global responsibilities. The assessment criteria focus on the extent to which institutions contribute to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The overall ranking is calculated using a combination of SDG 17 — “Partnerships for the Goals,” which is mandatory — along with each university’s top three performing SDGs. This year’s rankings saw participation from 2,318 universities across 130 countries, an increase of 355 institutions compared to last year.
Kyungpook National University ranked within the global top 20 in 6 of the 17 SDG categories, including:▷2nd in Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)▷12th in Zero Hunger (SDG 2)▷13th in Life on Land (SDG 15)▷16th in Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)▷16th in No Poverty (SDG 1)▷20th in Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
Kyungpook National University President Heo Young-woo stated, “KNU is fulfilling its mission as a ‘university in partnership with the local community,’ and it is emerging as a platform university that connects the region with the world through initiatives such as the Glocal University 30 project and the RISE (Regional Innovation System & Education) program. This ranking is the result of our continued efforts to engage with global civil society and realize a sustainable future through education and research. Going forward, we will continue to grow as a global platform university that practices sustainability and social responsibility by advancing our glocal strategy — connecting the local and the global.”
The THE Impact Rankings evaluate universities based on their research performance as well as their social and global responsibilities. The assessment criteria focus on the extent to which institutions contribute to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The overall ranking is calculated using a combination of SDG 17 — “Partnerships for the Goals,” which is mandatory — along with each university’s top three performing SDGs. This year’s rankings saw participation from 2,318 universities across 130 countries, an increase of 355 institutions compared to last year.
Kyungpook National University ranked within the global top 20 in 6 of the 17 SDG categories, including:▷2nd in Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)▷12th in Zero Hunger (SDG 2)▷13th in Life on Land (SDG 15)▷16th in Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)▷16th in No Poverty (SDG 1)▷20th in Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
Kyungpook National University President Heo Young-woo stated, “KNU is fulfilling its mission as a ‘university in partnership with the local community,’ and it is emerging as a platform university that connects the region with the world through initiatives such as the Glocal University 30 project and the RISE (Regional Innovation System & Education) program. This ranking is the result of our continued efforts to engage with global civil society and realize a sustainable future through education and research. Going forward, we will continue to grow as a global platform university that practices sustainability and social responsibility by advancing our glocal strategy — connecting the local and the global.”