Aga Khan University ranks top 5% globally on advancing SDGs
The Aga Khan University (AKU) has been ranked among the top 5 percent of institutions that are advancing the global push for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being.
AKU came to position 55 out of 1,498 institutions under the Times Higher Education (THE) 2024 Impact Rankings. The University has been lauded for its contributions to research, education, and health services. AKU's researchers have published extensively on various SDGs, with a particular focus on SDG 3.
The University excelled in three key areas: research output, the number of graduates in health-related fields, and collaboration with health services. According to a bibliometric analysis by AKU, over 2,500 publications from 2017 to 2023 were focused on SDG 3.
AKU has integrated Sustainable Development Goals across its curriculum, offering SDG courses at the Institute for Global Health and Development and the Institute for Educational Development, and incorporating SDGs into the postgraduate curriculum at the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
The University also supports national government policies and curriculum development, with notable contributions to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
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“The global relevance of AKU scholarship is further demonstrated by the fact that nearly 80 percent of faculty publications in 2022 were aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," said Dr. Salim Virani, AKU Vice Provost, Research, in a statement in the University's Research Magazine.
“If we examine the past, we see that research at AKU has grown rapidly in volume, quality, diversity, recognition, impact, and reach. If we examine the present, it is clear that the University's research capacity is impressive, especially given its youth compared to many universities and the fact that it operates in resource-limited environments."
As part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), AKU collaborates closely with Aga Khan Health Services to advance the goal of health for all in the regions it serves.
AKU's consistent ranking in SDG 3 since 2022 underscores its commitment to excellence, quality, and global recognition in healthcare.