What are the THE Sustainability Impact Rankings?

The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings measure how well universities contribute to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unlike traditional academic rankings that focus on research output or prestige, these rankings assess real-world social, environmental, and governance impact.

What does SDG 16 measure for universities?

SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) assesses a university's work in promoting inclusive societies, access to justice, transparent governance, anti-discrimination, violence prevention, and support for the rule of law and democratic institutions.

Thammasat University Ranks #1 in the World for Peace & Justice

Thammasat University has reached the top of the world stage. On June 24, 2026, Times Higher Education (THE) announced the results of its Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026, placing Thammasat at #1 globally in SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions — ahead of 914 universities from 103 countries and territories.

From 4th to 1st in a Single Year

The result marks a dramatic leap. In 2025, Thammasat ranked 4th globally in SDG 16 with a score of 91.1 across 1,214 institutions. This year, the university climbed to 1st place with a score of 90.9 across 914 institutions — part of three consecutive years of improvement overall (ranks 81 → 64 → 46).

In the Overall Sustainability table, Thammasat placed 46th globally out of 1,603 institutions, scoring 92.9 — up from 64th in 2025.

The university also ranked in several other SDG sub-tables: 25th globally for SDG 5 (Gender Equality), 40th for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities), and 76th for SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy).

"University of the People" — 92 Years of Mission-Driven Education

The reason Thammasat stands out in SDG 16 goes back to its founding. In 1934, Pridi Phanomyong established the university as the "University of Moral and Political Sciences" following Thailand's 1932 transition to a constitutional monarchy, with the explicit goal of making education in law, politics, and democratic principles accessible to every Thai citizen regardless of class.

That founding identity as the "University of the People" — sustained across 92 years — is not just a motto. It shapes the university's academic work, research output, public services, and governance in ways that directly align with THE's SDG 16 evaluation criteria.

Statue of Pridi Phanomyong, founder of Thammasat University in 1934

Rector Prof. Dr. Supasawad Chardchawarn said: "Achieving the rank of 1st in the world for driving SDG 16 reflects the tangible results of the sincere efforts of the administration, faculty, students and staff."

What SDG 16 Actually Measures

SDG 16 is the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. THE evaluates universities across five core dimensions:

Promotion of equal, non-discriminatory societies
Access to justice and legal processes
Governance transparency and accountability
Prevention and reduction of violence
Support for the rule of law and democratic institutions

Asst. Prof. Chol Bunnag, Director of SDG Move at Thammasat, noted: "The success of Thammasat University in SDG 16 reflects the collaborative efforts of the university community in all dimensions — teaching, research, academic services and organisational management — aimed at promoting justice and equality."

SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal icon

Thailand's Best Year Yet — 69 Universities in the Rankings

Thailand had an outstanding year overall, sending 69 institutions into the rankings and claiming top positions across multiple SDGs:

University	Global Overall Rank	Notable Achievement
Chulalongkorn	19th	Thailand #1 overall
Thammasat	46th	#1 globally, SDG 16
Walailak	47th	Thailand #3 overall
Mahidol	—	#1 globally, SDG 3 (Good Health)

ASEAN as a whole contributed 352 institutions to the 2026 rankings, with 25 ASEAN universities placing in the global top 200. THE noted that for the first time, Asian universities occupied 28 of the top 50 overall positions worldwide.

The overall #1 spot this year went to the University of Manchester (UK), followed by Griffith University and Western Sydney University from Australia.

What It Means for Thai Higher Education

Pridi Phanomyong ภาพ: Xiengyod — CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Thammasat's result — and Thailand's broader performance — sends a clear signal: Thai universities can compete at the very highest levels globally, particularly in dimensions that connect education to real social impact.

As Chulalongkorn Associate Dean Thantrira Porntaveetus put it, "In a developing economy, being a top university is meaningless if we aren't helping the country escape the middle-income trap." ASEAN universities, she added, are excelling through "frugal innovation — finding high-impact, low-cost solutions for community resilience."

THE's Sustainability Impact Rankings are announced annually. Thammasat's three-year trajectory shows that sustained, mission-driven work in the right direction can take a Thai institution to the very top of the world stage. This result is part of a broader trend of Thai students and institutions excelling internationally — from Thai students winning gold at the Asia Physics Olympiad to Mahidol's global #1 in health-related SDGs.

Sources: Thammasat University · Nation Thailand · Times Higher Education · Khaosod English