THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026: IULM Ranks Among the World’s Top 20 for Gender Equality

The 2026 edition of the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings once again confirms IULM University’s strong commitment to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. In a highly competitive international context, the University has consolidated its global standing and made significant progress in several strategic areas.

The most prestigious result pertainsto SDG 5, “Gender Equality,”for which IULM ranks 14th in the world out of 1,095 universities evaluated. This result confirms and reinforces the University’s position among the top 20 universities globally for gender equality and attests to the effectiveness of the policies adopted to support inclusion, equal opportunities, and the promotion of women’s talent. Particularly well-received were the measures that encourage the participation of women (students, faculty, and technical and administrative staff) in academic life, along with policies that foster an equitable and inclusive environment.

Excellent results were also achieved in SDGs 4 “Quality Education,” 10 “Reduced Inequalities,” and 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities,”in which IULM ranks in the 101–200 range. In fact, IULM’s lifelong learning initiatives, measures to combat discrimination, and sustainable mobility policies were particularly recognized and valued, receiving the highest scores. Specifically, for SDG 4, the recognition pertains to the wide range of lifelong learning opportunities that IULM makes available to the entire academic community and the local area through training programs, continuing education activities, and lifelong learning opportunities aimed at students, professionals, and citizens. For SDG 10, structural policies to combat discrimination—including the Gender Equality Plan, the University Code of Ethics, and the Rector’s delegation for inclusion, disability, and psychological counseling—are of particular importance, along with concrete inclusion measures —such as the Alias career program and the activities of the DiversaMENTE Office in support of students with disabilities and specific learning disabilities (SLDs)—which help ensure a fair academic environment that respects diversity. Finally, for SDG 11, sustainable mobility policies were highlighted, particularly the Home-to-Work Mobility Plan and the role of the Mobility Manager—key tools for promoting more responsible travel management and reducing the campus’s environmental impact.

Among the most significant improvements is also SDG 17, “Partnerships for the Goals,” in which the University has taken another major leap forward, improving by more than 200 positions compared to the previous year and ranking in the 201–300 range globally. This result recognizes the University’s extensive network of national and international partnerships and its commitment to fostering strategic relationships in support of the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the growing integration of sustainability into its teaching.

Even within the scopeof SDG 16 “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions,” IULM continues to stand out for the quality of its governance practices and its collaboration with public institutions. The measures adopted to ensure transparency, participation, and fairness in decision-making processes were particularly highly regarded, earning the highest score, as were the numerous initiatives developed in collaboration with government agencies and public institutions.

Finally, in the overall ranking of the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026—which assesses universities’ ability to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals as a whole—IULM remains in the 201–300 range globally with an overall score of 81.7 out of 100.

These results confirm the strategic path the University has taken in recent years to integrate sustainability into its institutional activities, teaching, research, and community engagement. This commitment, shared by the entire academic community, will continue to guide the University’s future actions, contributing to the creation of a more sustainable, inclusive, and responsible society.