Top universities championing equality and inclusion in 2024

University Impact Rankings for UN SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Times Higher Education has assessed and ranked 1,108 universities from 111 countries/regions for their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 10: reduced inequalities. The top institutions stand out for their commitment to ensuring equal opportunity and inclusion. Through comprehensive research and effective implementation of policies, these universities work towards equitable income growth and responsible migration.

These leading universities prioritise reducing inequalities within and across borders by promoting an inclusive educational environment that supports diverse populations, including first-generation students, international students from developing countries and individuals with disabilities. Their initiatives are crucial in creating equitable opportunities and reducing disparities in access to education and employment.

Summary of findings

The table for SDG 10: reduced inequalities is led by RMIT University in Australia for the second year in a row, followed by the University of Huddersfield and London South Bank University, both in the UK.

The UK dominates the top 100, with 35 institutions, while 13 are in Australia and eight are in the US.

Methodology

Our methodology for SDG 10: reduced inequalities includes detailed indicators to evaluate universities' efforts in promoting equality and reducing disparities:

Research on reduced inequalities (27%)

• Volume of research focusing on social protection, migration policies and strategies to reduce income and social inequalities
• Proportion of equality-related research in top journals
• Field-weighted citation impact of equality-related papers

First-generation students (15.5%)

• Proportion of students who identify as being the first person in their immediate family to attend university, highlighting efforts to bridge educational gaps

International students from developing countries (15.5%)

• Proportion of international students from low-income and lower-middle-income countries, reflecting the university's commitment to fostering global educational equity

Students and staff with disabilities (23%)

• Proportion of students with disabilities
• Proportion of employees with disabilities

Measures against discrimination (19%)

• Policies and actions implemented to combat discrimination in all forms, ensuring a safe and inclusive university environment

The Impact Rankings are inherently dynamic: they are growing rapidly each year as many more universities seek to demonstrate their commitment to delivering the SDGs by joining our database; and they allow institutions to demonstrate rapid improvement year-on-year, by introducing clear new policies, for example, or by providing clearer and more open evidence of their progress. Therefore, we expect and welcome regular change in the ranked order of institutions (and we discourage year-on-year comparisons) as universities continue to drive this urgent agenda.

View the overall Impact Rankings 2024

Read our analysis of the Impact Rankings 2024 results

Download a free copy of the Impact Rankings 2024 digital report

Register to participate in next year’s Impact Rankings

To raise your university’s global profile with Times Higher Education, contact branding@timeshighereducation.com

To unlock the data behind THE’s Impact Rankings and access a range of analytical and benchmarking tools, click here