‘AKU among top 5pc higher education institutions globally for advancing SDGs’

The Aga Khan University (AKU) has been ranked in the top 5 percent of higher education institutions globally for SDG 3 ‘Good Health and Well-Being’, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) 2024 Impact Rankings. The AKU is placed at an impressive 55th position out of 1,498 institutions worldwide.

The university has been acknowledged for its overall contributions to research, education, and health services. AKU researchers publish extensively on various SDGs, with a strong focus on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

The university scored highly in three categories: research, number of students graduating in health-related areas and collaboration with health services. According to a bibliometric analysis by AKU, SDG 3 received the highest attention from faculty with over 2,500 publications between 2017 and 2023.

Sustainable Development Goals have been integrated across the University through inclusion of optional education modules such as SDG courses offered at the Institute for Global Health and Development, Institute for Educational Development, and inclusion of SDGs in the postgraduate curriculum at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. The AKU also supports national government policies and curriculum development.

Other prominent scholarly contributions are to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). “The global relevance of AKU scholarship is further demonstrated by the fact that nearly 80 percent of faculty publications in 2022 were aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” said Dr Salim Virani, AKU vice provost, research, in a statement in the University’s Research Magazine.

“If we examine the past, we see that research at AKU has grown rapidly in volume, quality, diversity, recognition, impact and reach. If we examine the present, it is clear that the University’s research capacity is impressive, especially given its youth compared to many universities and the fact that it operates in resource-limited environments.”

The AKU is dedicated to fostering future leaders who are equipped to tackle multidimensional challenges. Through its academic programmes, the University encourages creative and critical responses to development issues, preparing students to make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.

As part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), the AKU works closely with the Aga Khan Health Services to advance the goal of health for all in the regions it serves. AKU’s ranking in SDG 3 mirrors the ranking in 2022, showing the University’s commitment to excellence, quality, and health care, which is now recognised globally.