Daffodil among world’s top 400 unis in THE Impact Rankings
The third edition of Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, in which 1,115 universities from 94 countries took part, was released on 21 April
Daffodil International University (DIU) has secured the top position among seven private universities in Bangladesh that participated in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2021.
The DIU is the only Bangladeshi university to achieve a position among the top 400 universities – in the 300-400 band.
Brac University and United International University have been ranked in the 401-600 band, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and World University of Bangladesh (WUB) in the 601-800, Independent University, Bangladesh among top in the 801-1,000 band, and Dhaka International University has been ranked above 1,000.
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No public university from the country took part in the ranking.
The third edition of THE Impact Rankings, in which 1,115 universities from 94 countries/regions took part, was released on 21 April.
According to the ranking authorities, THE Impact Rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It carefully calibrates indicators to provide comprehensive and balanced comparison across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching, they say.
"There are 17 UN SDGs and we are evaluating university performance on all of them in the third edition of the ranking. These are: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions and partnerships for the goals."
The United Kingdom's University of Manchester has secured the top spot in the overall ranking. Three Australian institutions complete the top four: the University of Sydney, RMIT University and La Trobe University.
The top institution from an emerging economy is Thailand's Chulalongkorn University at joint 23rd place.
Russia is the most-represented nation in the table with 75 institutions, followed by Japan with 73.
India's Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham secured a position among top 100 universities while 43 other Indian universities are among the top 1,000 and 7 above 1,000. From Pakistan, 37 universities joined the competition and 25 have been ranked among 1,000 top universities.
Syed Mizanur Rahman, director (students' affairs) of Daffodil International University, told The Business Standard that they have formulated the university's curricula focusing on achieving Sustainable Development Goals. "We have also trained our teachers and students on how to adopt the new syllabus. Actually, education should be aimed at building skilled manpower so that they can enrich the economy and protect the world," he said.
The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) ranked 4th among the universities of Bangladesh and 156th in the SDG 17 among 1,115 universities worldwide in the THE Impact Ranking 2021.
This was the first time ULAB participated in this ranking, read a press release.
Professor Dr Shamsad Mortuza, pro-vice chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh told TBS, "We have let the world know that we have been working for achieving SDGs. We are trying to build our students for the future world."
Asked why they did not take part in the ranking, vice-Chancellors of Dhaka University and Shahjalal University of Engineering and Technology Professor Akhtaruzzaman and Professor Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed, respectively, told TBS that they were not aware about the competition.
