The University of South Florida makes a greater social and economic impact than nearly every other university in America, according to the inaugural 2019 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings released this week. USF ranks as the top university in Florida, fifth best in the nation and 73rd among all universities worldwide. USF is one of only eight U.S. institutions in the top 100, and the only university in Florida.
According to THE, the new rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and are designed to demonstrate the impact a university has in developing the world in sustainable ways through research, outreach and stewardship.
The rankings evaluate universities in several categories, including “Good Health and Wellbeing,” “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure,” and “Reduced Inequalities.” In each of these measurements, USF ranks in the top five nationally and top 50 worldwide, and places USF alongside top American research institutions such as Emory University, The Ohio State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“The inaugural Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are a significant step in recognizing the positive social and economic impact of universities,” said USF Provost and Executive Vice President Ralph Wilcox. “As a global research university dedicatedto student success, I am immensely proud to see USF rank among the top in the world, particularly in the categories of Reduced Inequalities, Good Health and Wellbeing, and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure which so closely align with our mission.”
According to THE, the “Good Health and Wellbeing” category measures university research on key diseases and conditions, its support for healthcare professions and the health of students and staff (USF ranks third in the U.S.). “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” evaluates university research on industry and innovation, number of patents generated, spin-off companies and its research income from industry (USF ranks second in the U.S.). “Reduced Inequalities” analyzes university research on social inequalities and institutional policies (USF ranks fifth in the U.S.).
The 2019 THE University Impact Rankings follows USF recently receiving the prestigious 2019 American Council for Education Award for Institutional Transformation and the 2019 Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education, in the category of access and equity.