Kuala lumpur: Universiti Malaya (UM) retained Malaysia's number one position for the third year in a row in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026. UM in a statement said, globally, the university ranked 166th out of 2,001 institutions, placing it firmly in the top nine percent of the world's most sustainable universities and 16th in Asia.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, UM achieved an impressive overall score of 85.4 out of 100, reflecting its commitment to embedding sustainability across research, teaching, governance, and community engagement. The QS World University Rankings: Sustainability evaluates universities on their effectiveness in addressing global environmental and social challenges, guided by metrics aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UM also excelled in the Social Impact category, placing 10th in Asia and 163rd globally, with notable achievements in Knowledge Exchange (Rank 71, Score 97.4) and Employability and Opportunities (Rank 99, Score 96.5). In the Environmental Impact category, UM ranked 177th globally and 35th in Asia, maintaining its leading national position in Governance, placing 397th globally.
Meanwhile, UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman highlighted that this achievement reflects UM's commitment to sustainability and collective responsibility to shape a new way forward for global prosperity for all, including future generations. 'We will continue to advance the SDG and environmental, social and governance (ESG) agendas through research excellence, inclusive education, and responsible governance, ensuring that UM not only excels globally but also drives meaningful impact for humanity and the environment,' he stated in the release.
The statement further emphasized that UM's continued rise in the QS Sustainability Rankings reaffirms its role as a national and regional trailblazer, championing transformative change and contributing to Malaysia's vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.