Second SDG–UP Workshop Discusses Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

The workshop gathered 45 participants from universities across Japan. Duncan Ross (Chief Data Officer, Times Higher Education) gave the keynote presentation providing information about Times High Education impact rankings and how SDGs related activities can be evaluated using these rankings. He discussed the advantages of using these rankings as a platform for sharing best practices and, while there are many noteworthy activities on a global scale, some are not well known. He further emphasised that in order for activities to be more widely known, active communication is very important. In addition to this, he stressed that participating universities have an opportunity to move forward together to achieve the SDGs and take steps toward realising a better society.

Shunichi Murata (Professor, School of Policy Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University) highlighted the importance of collaborative research with universities in developing countries and that strong partnerships should be built in order to boost engagement amongst stakeholders. Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS; Chair, SDG University Collaboration Platform) stressed that the impact ranking is not a one-sided evaluation of universities by an evaluation organisation, but rather a way to be transparent in terms of evaluation.

For a more detailed report on this event, please click here (Japanese only).

29 participating universities (in alphabetical order)

Aoyama Gakuin University

Chiba University of Commerce

Ehime University

Hiroshima University

Hokkaido University

International Christian University

International University of Japan

Kanagawa University

Kanazawa University

Kwanseigakuin University

Keio Gijuku University

Kitakyushu City University

Kyushu Sangyo University

Notre Dame Seishin University

Nara University of Education

Ochanomizu Women's University

Osaka University

Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University

Ryukoku University

Soka University

Sophia University

Tokai University

Tokyo City University

Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

Tokyo University of Science

Toyo University

Tsukuba University

University of Tokyo