University of Indonesia (UI) recently released its “GreenMetric World University Rankings” for the year 2025 in which it ranks 1,745 universities spread across 105 countries based on their environmental commitment and initiatives according to a set of weighted criteria, namely:

-       Setting & infrastructure: 15% weight; includes space for greenery, safeguarding the environment and developing sustainable energy

-       Energy & climate change: 21% weight; focuses on universities’ attention to the use of energy and climate change issues

-       Waste: 18% weight; centers upon universities’ waste treatment and recycling programs

-       Water: 10% weight; pivots around water conservation programs

-       Transportation: 18% weight; comprises policies implemented by universities to encourage a healthier environment and a reduction in universities’ carbon footprint

-       Education & research: 18% weight; encompasses universities’ efforts in creating and supporting new concerns with sustainability issues

Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands came in 1^st in the world in the 2025 UI GreenMetric World University rankings with a score of 9600.0, followed by each of University College York – Ireland, Nottingham Trent University – United Kingdom and the Umwelt-Campus Birkenfeld University – Germany (overall score: 9562.5 each), and Universidade de Sao Paolo USP – Brazil (overall score: 9550.0).

On a regional level, the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates topped the UI GreenMetric university rankings for the year 2025 with a score of 8930.0 and an international rank of 38, followed by Al-Balqa Applied University – Jordan (overall score: 8912.5; international rank: 42) and Qassim University – Saudi Arabia (overall score: 8880.0; international rank: 61), among others. 

Locally, the American University of Beirut (AUB) topped the list of Lebanese Universities in the UI GreenMetric rankings with a score of 8482.5 and an international rank of 119, followed by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) (overall score: 7050.0; international rank: 441) and the Islamic University of Lebanon (overall score: 5402.5; international rank: 945). In detail, AUB outperformed other universities in Lebanon in five criteria, namely Setting & Infrastructure (score: 1425.0), Energy & Climate Change (score: 1710.0), Water Conservation (score: 950.0), Transportation (score: 1535.0), and Education & Research (score: 1537.5). USEK, on the other hand, outperformed Lebanese universities when it comes to the Waste & Recycling Programs criteria (score: 1525.0).