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Walailak University has championed green campus initiatives and the promotion of environmental sustainability in Southern Thailand for five consecutive years. The university is now ranked joint 81^st worldwide and 6^th in Thailand, according to the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2024, released on 12 December 2024. This marks an improvement from last year when it was ranked 83^rd globally while maintaining its position as 6^th in Thailand.

The 2024 UI GreenMetric Rankings, in its 15^th edition, evaluated 1,477 institutions from 95 countries. Among these, 59 Thai institutions were ranked. The ranking methodology is based on 39 indicators grouped into six categories: (1) Setting and Infrastructure (15%), (2) Energy and Climate Change (21%), (3) Waste (18%), (4) Water (10%), (5) Transportation (18%), and (6) Education and Research (18%).

Walailak University excelled in the Setting and Infrastructure category, ranking first in Thailand and joint 15^th globally. This reflects the university’s efforts in expanding green spaces, protecting the environment, and allocating budgets for sustainable development.

In Transportation, the university ranked joint second in Thailand and joint 20^th globally, highlighting its effective transportation policies, including limiting private vehicle usage and enhancing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure for the community.

For the Water category, Walailak University ranked joint second in Thailand and joint 91^st globally, demonstrating reduced groundwater usage, increased conservation initiatives, and habitat protection efforts.

Combining scores across all categories, Walailak University achieved a total score of 8,575 points, an increase of 100 points from the previous year.

On the global stage, Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands) claimed the top spot with 9,575 points, followed by Nottingham Trent University (UK) with 9,550 points, and the University of Groningen (Netherlands) with 9,475 points.

In Thailand, Kasetsart University ranked first with 8,825 points, followed by Mahidol University (8,775 points) in second place, and King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in third (8,750 points).

Situated in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Walailak University has the largest single land area among Thai universities, spanning over 3,700 acres. Of this, 533 acres are dedicated to conservation, featuring native plants and an herbal garden that serve as valuable educational resources for students and the public. The university’s reservoirs have a storage capacity of up to 2,400,000 cubic meters, meeting the water needs of both the campus and surrounding communities.

Earlier this year, as part of its commitment to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Walailak University received two prestigious honors from the Global Good Governance (3G) Awards. The university was recognized with the 3G Excellence Award for Green Campus 2024, while President Professor Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong was honored with the 3G Award for Advocacy of Social Responsibility in Higher Education 2024. These accolades underscore the university’s dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship, reaffirming its commitment to fostering a greener, more sustainable future.

Visit UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2024 here