O THE University Impact Ranking was created in 2019 by the British consultancy Times Higher Education to assess how universities contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda, in terms of research, dissemination and governance.
Since the first edition of the ranking, the six public universities in São Paulo – University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo State University (Unesp), State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), Federal University of ABC (UFABC) and Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) – have actively participated in the ranking, through the systematic collection and transmission of data related to the topic, and obtained relevant positions among institutions around the world, especially in Latin America.
However, due to the recent change, to Sustainable Impact Ratings with an annual participation fee charged, the six institutions decided not to participate in the 2026 edition, whose data collection has already begun in the second half of the year, with the results expected to be released in mid-June of next year.
While recognizing the relevance of this initiative and THE's role in promoting the 17 SDGs agenda, the six public universities in São Paulo understand that financial charges limit inclusion and equity among institutions, especially public institutions.
It is important to highlight that this decision is accompanied by the institutions' commitment to sustainability and responsible institutional assessment aligned with the global goals of the Sustainable Development Goals through other means, such as the Carnegie Elective Classification and More Than Our Rank.
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