May 15, 2025, by sustainablenottingham

How our research underlines our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Professor Sarah Metcalfe is Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Nottingham.

We’re proud to be recognised among the world’s top higher education institutions for our efforts in environmental sustainability, being placed in the Top 200 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024. These global rankings evaluate more than 2,000 universities from 125 countries based on their performance against the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which set out a blueprint for creating a more sustainable future.

PVC Professor Sarah Metcalfe

Delivering sustainable development across the world is more than a goal for our university – it is inherent in our core values. We are a global university, with campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia, which work collaboratively with a wide range of partners to deliver solutions to complex challenges that will transform lives and achieve a sustainable future.

We produce an annual report that gives a snapshot to achieve this aspiration, through our research, and across our education, engagement and outreach, and operations and policies. In short, sustainability is at the heart of all we do. A new report for 2023/24 is currently being compiled.

Achieving a sustainable and fairer future is a tough challenge. We recognise that achieving sustainable development must address income disparity and health inequalities. We must ensure that the transition to green energy and carbon-neutral economies is fair and equitable and we must be mindful that building resilience to climate change is most critical in marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

Our researchers form partnerships that give our innovations real impact, changing lives in communities on the doorsteps of our campuses and across the world. In the UK, we are working with industry to establish a . Our innovators at the University of Nottingham Malaysia are providing ASEAN economies with the tools and data to navigate towards net zero. In China, collaborations with the petrochemical sector will help decarbonise manufacturing industry and partnerships with local enterprises are promoting responsible business practices, a culture of sustainability and green innovation.

Find out more

Towards a  fairer world 2022/23 report

Website: The University of Nottingham and Sustainable Development Goals

The GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory

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