The 17th edition of the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings was released on September 24, with 2,016 universities across 110 countries assessed for their sustainability performance. The 2026 edition is the largest in the history of the global university ranking.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution, securing the 64th position globally with a score of 8,900. Mangalore University was the second-highest ranked Indian institution, placed 125th globally with 8,537.5 points, followed by SRM Institute of Science and Technology at 136th with 8,510 points. Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences ranked 140th with 8,487.5 points.
National Institute of Technology Silchar (NIT Silichar) was the fifth-highest Indian institution, ranking 166th globally with 8,400 points. The institute improved from 191st in the 2025 edition, when it had scored 8,187.5 points. It recorded its highest score in the energy and climate change category, at 1,725 points.
The next five Indian institutions in the ranking were Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education at 192nd, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education at 207th, Sri Sri University at 252nd, Mangalayatan University Jabalpur at 280th and Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences at 317th globally.
Jamia Millia Islamia was placed 334th globally and 13th among Indian institutions, with a score of 7,687.5. It improved 42 places from its 2025 global position of 376th.
The ranking assesses institutions on setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, education and research, and governance and digitalisation. The last of these is a new category in the 2026 edition, and includes indicators relating to areas such as AI and IoT policies, gender representation in leadership, anti-corruption mechanisms, complaint systems, digital literacy and codes of ethics.
Globally, Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands topped the 2026 ranking with 9,650 points, followed by Umwelt-Campus Birkenfeld in Germany and Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil.
