RSU rises 250 places in latest QS World University Sustainability Rankings
Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) has made a significant breakthrough in the recently published QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, climbing 250 places. In this ranking, RSU has the highest rise among Latvian universities and the second highest among Baltic universities.
This year’s rankings include 1,994 universities, which is 215 more than last year, and RSU has significantly improved its performance despite the increased competition. RSU has advanced across all dimensions of the rankings, with particularly rapid growth in the field of sustainable education. The highest result was achieved in the Good Governance category, where RSU now ranks 471st in the world, moving up 207 places since last year. This improvement was driven by efforts to strengthen transparency and participation. This includes the publication of the minutes from RSU Senate meetings, updates to the RSU Code of Ethics, and the development and implementation of mandatory training for university staff on ethical dilemmas in higher education.
Substantial progress was also recorded in the Environmental Sustainability section, where RSU ranks 744th this year (last year – 1001st+). The University’s initiatives to improve energy efficiency, including increased use of solar energy, have contributed to this advancement. In the Equality section, RSU ranks 804th this year (last year – 1001st+), with improvements driven by new solutions to enhance accessibility of studies and the physical environment. The University’s growing scientific output in areas linked to environmental and social sustainability has also strengthened RSU’s results in several categories of the ranking, including Health and Wellbeing.
For the first time, RSU has achieved Top 1000 results in ranking categories across all three sustainability dimensions – Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance. This demonstrates a balanced and purposeful development. The results highlight the University’s increasing engagement in addressing sustainability matters.
RSU participates in the global university rankings to enhance its international visibility and to identify areas for development by comparing its performance with that of other higher education institutions in Latvia, the Baltic States, Europe, and beyond. The QS World University Sustainability Rankings evaluate the performance of universities in terms of their environmental impact, social impact, and governance. RSU was first included in the rankings in 2024.
