Lakehead University in top 100 of Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for third consecutive year
May 19, 2022 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.
For the third year in a row, Lakehead University was included in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. Lakehead is the highest ranked university in the world with under 10,000 students.
The Impact Rankings measure the societal impact of universities by evaluating an institutions’ success in delivering the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In 2022, Lakehead has been ranked as one of the top universities in the world contributing to poverty reduction, elimination of hunger, reduced inequalities, good health and wellbeing, and to peace, justice and strong institutions.
Lakehead is ranked 64th out of 1,406 universities from around the world, based on its performance in meeting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead’s President and Vice-Chancellor, said she was ecstatic with Lakehead ‘s recognition this year.
“Over the last three years, we have strengthened our commitment to social justice and to Indigenous, social and environmental sustainability. This ranking is so very exciting and reflects Lakehead’s role in fostering a greater understanding of local and global societal issues and inspiring positive change.
“It reflects the world-class research being led by Lakehead faculty, staff, and students to address some of the world’s greatest societal challenges,” she added.
Lakehead is the only primarily undergraduate university in Canada that participated in the 2022 Impact Rankings and one of only 16 Canadian universities to be included in the top 100.
Lakehead is ranked in all 17 SDGs, which demonstrates the University’s commitments to be a leader in sustainability and to embed and embrace sustainability throughout the university community.
Ranking ahead of several top comprehensive and research-intensive Canadian universities, Lakehead scored highly across many SDGs, including ninth globally in SDG 1: No Poverty, which measures institutions on their respective efforts to help reduce poverty, including research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching. This represents Lakehead’s role as one of the largest employers, post-secondary institutions and economic hubs in Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County, and the direct impact the University has on economic and social resiliency in the regions it serves.
This ranking also reflects the many initiatives Lakehead offers to support students who face barriers to accessing university education, including financial barriers, as well as the innovative research being done by faculty related to poverty in rural and remote communities in Northwestern Ontario.
Lakehead ranked 13th globally in SDG 15: Life on Land, which explores a university’s research on life on land and education on and support for land ecosystems.
Lakehead ranked 24th globally in SDG 14: Life Below Water, examining a university’s research on life below water and their education on and support for aquatic ecosystems.
In addition, Lakehead scored in the top 100 universities globally in SDG 2: Zero Hunger (ranked 29th), SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being (ranked 95th), SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation (ranked 71st), SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (ranked 88th), SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities (ranked 76th), and SDG 13: Climate Action (ranked 94th).
For the third year in a row, Lakehead has also been ranked as one of the top universities in the world contributing to poverty reduction, elimination of hunger, reduced inequalities, good health and wellbeing, and to peace, justice and strong institutions.
Dr. David Barnett, Lakehead’s Provost and Vice-President (Academic), said this year’s ranking is an exceptional achievement that should make students, faculty, staff and alumni feel proud.
“More and more people outside of the communities we serve are learning that Lakehead is a world-class university thanks to rankings such as this one,” Dr. Barnett said.
“This latest international acknowledgement celebrates our work to tackle global challenges that impact our future and how we remain committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he added. “Specifically, Lakehead University is recognized for our development of creative solutions to issues such as sustainability, social justice, and Indigenous education.”
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings measure the impact universities make to the world in the areas of poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Visit Lakehead University's Times Higher Education profile at timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/lakehead-university.
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at 807-343-8010 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
