Australian University's groundwater initiative transforms 20,000 Indian villages
.Chancellor Professor Jennifer Westacott also praised the MARVI program, highlighting its focus on female groundwater volunteers, known as Bhujal Jaankars, and its support for women-led water cooperatives.She said the program empowers farmers to make informed crop choices based on water availability, reinforcing both community engagement and skill development.\HOW DID UNIVERSITY PERFORMadvertisement4th worldwide for SDG15 (Life on Land)7th for SDG5 (Gender Equality)8th for SDG13 (Climate Action) and SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)9th for SDGs 17,6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and 11 (Sustainable Cities)10th for SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)The THE Impact Rankings assess universities on teaching, research, operations, policy, and outreach -- all tied to positive societal and environmental workThis year's No.1 positioning underscores Western Sydney University's position at the forefront of universities applying knowledge to service communities and the planet.
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Time of India
21-06-2025
- Time of India
University of Hyderabad features in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025, among 135 Indian varsities recognised for UN SDG efforts; placed 1001–1500 globally with notable strengths
HYDERABAD: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is among the 135 institutions from the country to feature in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025. This global ranking evaluates universities for their societal contributions across the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UoH has been placed in the 1001-1500 band overall, reflecting its efforts to address global challenges through research, outreach, and teaching. "UoH's inclusion in the 2025 THE Impact Rankings is a demonstration of its ongoing transformation into a leading institution that not only excels in academics and research but is also committed to a better world," said BJ Rao, vice-chancellor, UoH. He added that for the first time, the university has been ranked among the top 601-800 globally in specific parameters, underscoring its commitment to the United Nations' SDGs. Under SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), UoH secured a rank between 401-600. For SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 10 (reduced inequality), and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), the university was placed in the 601-800 band. It was ranked above 1,000 in a few other SDG categories. Three other institutions from Telangana, including ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), SR University, and Woxsen University also featured in the rankings. While SR University shares the 1001-1500 band with UoH, IFHE and Woxsen were placed in the 1501+ category.
India Today
20-06-2025
- India Today
Australian University's groundwater initiative transforms 20,000 Indian villages
Western Sydney University's work on the MARVI project in India has reached over 3 lakh households in more than 20,000 villages across seven states. The project focuses on improving groundwater use and irrigation security through local management. In Rajasthan's Dharta watershed, the Village Groundwater Cooperative model, based on the '4S' approach -- Scrutiny, Store, Share, Sustain—is helping farmers manage shared water university is also training NGOs, government staff, and water professionals, supporting long-term water management and capacity building. These efforts contributed to Western Sydney's 9th place global ranking for SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) in the latest Times Higher Education Impact Professor George Williams described the repeated ranking success as proof of the university's role in delivering public good and effective community partnerships. He emphasised that the ranking measures real-world outcomes -- not just academic metrics .Chancellor Professor Jennifer Westacott also praised the MARVI program, highlighting its focus on female groundwater volunteers, known as Bhujal Jaankars, and its support for women-led water said the program empowers farmers to make informed crop choices based on water availability, reinforcing both community engagement and skill development.\HOW DID UNIVERSITY PERFORMadvertisement4th worldwide for SDG15 (Life on Land)7th for SDG5 (Gender Equality)8th for SDG13 (Climate Action) and SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)9th for SDGs 17,6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and 11 (Sustainable Cities)10th for SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)The THE Impact Rankings assess universities on teaching, research, operations, policy, and outreach -- all tied to positive societal and environmental workThis year's No.1 positioning underscores Western Sydney University's position at the forefront of universities applying knowledge to service communities and the planet.
Hans India
19-06-2025
- Hans India
Western Sydney beats the world four years in a row for community impact
Bengaluru: For an unprecedented fourth year in a row, Western Sydney University has emerged as the world's number one university for community impact awarded by the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. The University outranked 2,300 international universities in the evaluation process. The University's deep-rooted commitment to improve lives and safeguard the planet through local and global initiatives is gaining huge recognition across markets. Spotlighting India's MARVI (Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater Use through Village-level Intervention) project – a collaboration between the University and its valued partners, the transformative community-led program has been commendable. The mission works on improving the security of irrigation water supplies and enhancing livelihood opportunities for rural communities. The project has reached over 3 lakh households in over 20,000 Indian villages across seven states in India. Farmers in Rajasthan's Dharta watershed discuss their Village Groundwater Cooperative, a pioneering initiative for shared groundwater management. Developed by the MARVI project, it empowers communities to implement "4S" strategies: Scrutiny, Store, Share, and Sustain groundwater at the village level. This collaborative model is being considered for broader adoption across India and Southeast Asia for water security. Photo Credit: Distinguished Professor Basant Maheshwari The University is also actively involved in educating and training NGOs, government agencies, and Indian water professionals working directly on the ground, as part of our commitment to delivering world-class education and supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO, 'Our University is youthful, diverse, dynamic and entrepreneurial. We reflect our community locally and globally, and we are part of it. These rankings recognise the work we are doing together to take Western Sydney – and our wider global partnerships – to the next level. We can all be proud of this result. Our mission is to ensure our students are successful, our teaching and research have impact, and we are contributing to stronger communities.'' Highlighting the University's impactful work in India, Chancellor Professor Jennifer Westacott AC, said, 'By training local women as Bhujal Jaankars – ground water informed volunteers – and promoting female leadership in village cooperatives, MARVI is helping communities make informed choices about which crops to plant based on the availability of water. As one of our flagship community-led projects in the region, Western Sydney University is deeply invested in this project. We are also committed to delivering world-class education that aligns with India's skill needs.' Sharing his perspective on this landmark achievement, Professor Williams says, 'Western Sydney University is showing the world the way. Universities around the world are being urged to return to their primary role as public sector organisations delivering public good. The Impact Rankings recognise that Western Sydney University is the world's best at delivering public good in the communities we serve. It's in our DNA.' Western Sydney University works in partnership with communities in Western Sydney and globally including in India and its offshore locations in Indonesia and Vietnam to deliver on its commitment to the 17 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The rankings assess what universities are doing to improve lives based on the SDGs and assess our research, teaching, campus operations, policies and community engagement and outreach. These include climate action, gender equality, ending poverty, providing affordable and clean energy, reducing inequality, industry innovation and producing sustainable cities and communities. In addition to the overall world number one ranking, the University was highly ranked in the following categories: . 4th in the world for SDG 15 Life on Land . 7th in the world for SDG 5 Gender Equality . 8th in the world for SDG 13 Climate Action and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production . 9th in the world for SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals, SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. .10th in the world for SDG 14 Life Below Water and SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting their real-world social and environmental impact. Unlike traditional rankings, they recognise institutions for driving positive change in areas like health, education, and climate action.
