KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has emerged as Asia's highest-ranked university for sustainability after placing fifth globally in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026.

USM was the highest ranked university from Asia in the global rankings and leading a strong Malaysian showing that saw four local institutions finish among the world's top 100.

Malaysia also became one of only a handful of countries with two universities in the global top 10 with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in joint seventh alongside Hokkaido University of Japan.

The University of Malaya (UM) placed 24th while Sunway University was ranked 45th, giving Malaysia four institutions in the world's top 50 sustainability universities.

The annual rankings assess universities against the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), measuring performance in areas ranging from poverty reduction and quality education to climate action, public health and global partnerships.

This year's exercise evaluated 1,646 institutions from 116 countries and territories.

The global top 10 was led by United Kingdom’s the University of Manchester beating out four time leader Western Sydney University of Australia which is now in third place. In second place is Australia’s Griffith University and while fourth place is claimed by Queen’s University in Canada.

South Korea’s Hanyang University is in sixth place. France’s Institut Agro is ninth, Canada’s University of Alberta and Taiwan’s National Taiwan University (NTU) are at joint 10th place to complete the top 10 list.

Malaysia’s Management and Science University (MSU) also joined the top 100 list and ranked joint 88th alongside United Kingdom ‘s Nottingham Trent University.

Malaysia ahead of regional rivals

The results place Malaysia firmly ahead of its Southeast Asian neighbours in the sustainability rankings.

USM and UKM occupied the top two spots in the Asean regional table, ahead of Indonesia's Universitas Airlangga (15th globally) and Thailand's Chulalongkorn University (19th globally). University of Malaya ranked fifth in the regional table while Sunway University was eighth.

THE noted that Malaysia was the only Asean nation with two universities in the global top 10 and remains the region's leading performer overall.

Beyond Southeast Asia, Malaysia also outperformed many larger higher education systems. The United States had only two universities in the global top 100, while Latin America had none in the top 100.

Recognition for global partnerships

USM also topped one of the individual SDG categories — Partnerships for the Goals — the 17th goal which measures collaboration between universities, governments, industries and communities.

Thailand’s Mahidol University ranked highest for the good health and well-being third SDG and Thammasat University ranked highest for the 16th SDG goal - peace, justice and strong institutions.

The survey highlighted that five Asian universities made the global top 10 this year, with Malaysia producing the region's highest-ranked institution. The organisation also pointed to UKM as one of the biggest movers globally after its dramatic rise from joint 53rd place last year.

More than half of universities in the Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 are from Asia (962). The Philippines has the most institutions in the overall ranking, 160. The next most active country is India, with 110.

The THE Sustainability Impact Ratings are the world's only global university rankings that assess institutions against all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Universities must submit data for SDG 17 and at least three other goals to qualify for the overall ranking.