GLASGOW Caledonian University has been ranked the number one insitution in Scotland for promoting gender equality and economic growth.

The new figures, released today in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, show the city uni came 43rd in the world overall - out of 766 universities. 

The rankings also placed GCU second in Scotland, behind the University of Edinburgh, and eighth in the UK overall.

This performance reflects all aspects of the University's work – including education, research, partnerships, employment, facilities and operations. 

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies, welcomed the results.

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She said: "These results confirm that Glasgow Caledonian University is one of the top performing universities in the world when it comes to the social outcomes we deliver through our work.

"The University's long-standing commitment to contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to social innovation, led by our Yunus Research Centre, has been appropriately recognised.

"This is particularly the case in relation to our work to promote equality and diversity and reduce inequalities."

She added: "It is remarkable for a relatively young University to be consistently in the top 50 universities in the world for social impact, eighth in the UK and second in Scotland. 

"Now, more than ever, as the world recovers from the COVID-19 global pandemic, we need to focus on building more resilient, cohesive and fairer communities.

"I am proud that GCU continues to be at the forefront of delivering outcomes and impact with these key goals in mind." 

First published in 2019, the University Impact Rankings show how the global higher education sector is working towards the SDGs - a universal set of 17 goals which were adopted by the UN in 2015 to provide a framework for developing the world in a sustainable way. 

GCU performed well in a number of key areas, with the University ranking in the top 20 in the world against three of the SDGs and first in Scotland against two. 

Phil Baty, THE's chief knowledge officer, said: "The Impact Rankings redefine what excellence in global higher education actually looks like, and they paint a much richer, a much more diverse, and a much more inclusive picture of global excellence than the one we have traditionally come to recognise through traditional university rankings."

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