Free University of Berlin: Shining winner in the global sustainability ranking!

Free University of Berlin: Shining winner in the global sustainability ranking!

On June 26, 2025 the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking the results for 2025 are published. This valuable assessment examined the progress of 2,526 universities from 130 countries in their efforts to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since its introduction in 2019, the ranking has played a central role in measuring and making visible the commitment of universities to sustainable development.

The Free University of Berlin has once again demonstrated outstanding performance in this important ranking. For the fifth time in a row, the university has the best ranking of all German universities and is ranked in the 101-200 range. It is the only German institution represented in this category. Particularly noteworthy are the FU Berlin's rankings in the SDGs: it reached place 50 in SDG 5 (gender equality), good rankings in SDG 12 (consumption and production) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure).

Powerful results across multiple SDGs

The Free University of Berlin also performed above average in SDG 13 (climate protection measures) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). In SDG 17 (partnerships to achieve the goals), it achieved a ranking between 201-300 out of a total of 2,318 participating universities. This underlines the university's commitment to sustainability and global development goals.

A total of 23 universities from Germany took part in the ranking, with ten of them being listed in the overall ranking with at least four SDGs. The Free University of Berlin included nine SDGs in the ranking, demonstrating the comprehensive integration of sustainable practices into its teaching and research. Verena Blechinger-Talcott, First Vice President of the university, commented positively on these results and emphasized the relevance of the international rankings for the visibility of universities.

Andreas Wanke, Head of the Sustainability & Energy Department at Freie Universität, emphasized the importance of participating in the ranking in order to strengthen the university's international integration and perception. The university's successes in the ranking are also a sign of the commitment of everyone involved in promoting sustainability.

Universities in global comparison

Interestingly, Western Sydney University in Australia tops the rankings again, making it the best university in sustainability. Universitas Airlangga from Indonesia ranks joint ninth and is the most sustainable institution from an emerging economy. Overall, more than half of the places in the ranking feature Asian universities, and out of 17 individual SDG rankings, ten are topped by these universities.

The methodological approach of the rankings integrates scores on various SDGs in order to reflect a comprehensive assessment of the performance and influence of universities. This shows the universities' commitment to the environment, social inclusion and economic growth.

An important context for the ongoing efforts towards sustainability at the Free University of Berlin is the current difficult financial situation. From June 23 to 29, 2025, the university will delete the “E” in communication to draw attention to planned savings of 250 million euros in the scientific sector. These savings jeopardize teaching, research and future security and therefore represent a significant challenge for the university.

The Free University of Berlin therefore not only remains a pioneer in sustainability, but is also confronted with major financial challenges that are of central importance in the current discussion about the future of the scientific landscape in Germany.