In summary

  • Swinburne has maintained its spot in the top 300 in the world in the latest QS Sustainability Rankings 2026

  • The QS Sustainability Rankings evaluate the social and environmental impact of universities

  • Swinburne performed strongly across the social impact category, notably placing 66th and 100th in the world for impact of education and equality respectively

Swinburne University of Technology has maintained its spot in the top 300 in the world in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026.

This result adds to a string of recent rankings successes for Swinburne, including the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.   

This year, Swinburne performed strongly in the social impact category, notably placing 66th in the world for impact of education and 100th in the world for equality. 

Evidence of Swinburne’s social impact recognises its efforts to transform society for the better. This includes the work done through Swinburne’s Centre for Social Impact, notably the newly formed Centre for Inclusive Employment, which will unite the expertise of people with disability, researchers, employment service providers and family advocacy groups to drive greater employment outcomes. 

“Swinburne is proud of our position in the top 300 in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026. While rankings are not the only measure of excellence, we are pleased to have our commitment to a sustainable future recognised on the global stage,” says Swinburne’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Karen Hapgood.

“Our researchers are striving towards a more equitable world, and this year’s results reinforce their commitment in fields such as employment access and equity as well as community services innovation.” 

 Swinburne recently became one of the first universities in Victoria to be certified carbon neutral, and continues to identify new ways to reduce its impact on the environment.

About the QS Sustainability Ranking

The QS Sustainability Rankings evaluate the social and environmental impact of universities as centres of education and research. 

The ranking encompasses three categories:  

  • Environmental Impact – comprising 17 indicators across environmental education, environmental research and environmental sustainability 

  • Social Impact – comprising 25 indictors spanning employability and opportunities, equality, health and wellbeing, impact of education, and knowledge exchange

  • Governance – comprising 10 indicators of good governance

To learn more about the 2026 methodology, visit the QS Sustainability Rankings website. 

Related articles