The Social Impact Category accounts for 45% of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability and evaluates how effectively universities create positive outcomes for individuals, communities, and society.
It recognises the role of higher education institutions in improving employability, promoting equality and inclusion, advancing health and wellbeing, enhancing educational outcomes, and sharing knowledge beyond the university sector.
The category is structured around five complementary lenses comprising 25 indicators:
- Employability and Opportunities (11%) assesses how successfully institutions prepare graduates for employment, support career outcomes, collaborate with industry, and conduct research that contributes to economic development and opportunity.
- Equality (12%) evaluates institutional performance in promoting gender equality and reducing inequalities through research, representation, policies, support services, staff perceptions, and national context.
- Health and Wellbeing (5%) measures contributions to health through both research and the provision of services that support the physical and mental wellbeing of students and staff.
- Impact of Education (7%) examines educational quality and influence through research, academic reputation, alumni achievements, academic freedom, and wider national educational performance.
- Knowledge Exchange (10%) assesses how universities collaborate, share expertise, engage with communities, and contribute to global knowledge transfer and capacity building.
Together, these lenses provide a holistic view of how universities create social value. The framework evaluates not only the direct experiences and outcomes of students and staff, but also the broader societal contributions universities make through research, partnerships, community engagement, and the achievements of their graduates. It recognises that higher education institutions can act as drivers of social mobility, inclusion, public wellbeing, educational advancement, and international cooperation.
The Social Impact Category draws on all six thematic areas that underpin the Sustainability methodology:
- Research (research impact on social SDGs, policy citations, academic freedom, and knowledge exchange)
- Policy (equality, disability support, outreach, and industry engagement policies)
- Infrastructure (health and wellbeing provision on campus)
- Reputation (academic, employer, and staff perceptions)
- Students and Staff (gender representation, alumni outcomes, and student experience)
- National Statistics (employment, equality, health, and education performance)
The category is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on social development and human wellbeing.
The most frequently referenced goals are SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Additional emphasis is placed on SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through specific research, health, employability, and knowledge-sharing indicators.
Collectively, the Social Impact Category assesses how universities contribute to a more equitable, healthy, educated, and prosperous society by combining evidence of research excellence, institutional practice, graduate success, stakeholder perceptions, and community engagement.
