The University of Pécs (PTE) has once again delivered an exceptional performance in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, an international assessment based on sustainability criteria. According to the 2025 results, the university placed 29th among 1,745 institutions across 105 countries, making it the highest-ranked Hungarian university.
In a statement released on Monday, the university emphasized that this achievement further strengthens its leadership among sustainability-focused institutions and validates its long-term efforts to embed environmental responsibility across all operations.
The announcement quoted Katalin Szili, a board member of the Universitas Quinqueecclesiensis Foundation, which oversees PTE. She highlighted that in recent years the university has developed a strategy in which sustainability is integrated into all aspects of institutional functioning. According to Szili, the model change, aligning education, research, and institutional development has resulted in tangible improvements in quality, while the establishment of the Sustainable Development Coordination Council has fostered close cooperation across disciplines. This, she added, has enabled the launch of several initiatives that simultaneously enhance operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Chancellor István Decsi stated that the university aims to ensure its sustainability achievements extend beyond the institution itself, offering practical examples for economic partners. For this reason, collaborations are expected to produce concrete and measurable progress.
Deputy Rector for Education Tamás Fedeles noted that a systems-level approach that responds to global expectations is now essential for the competitiveness of Hungarian higher education. PTE’s academic programmes increasingly incorporate sustainability across engineering, economics, and social sciences.
At the top of the 2025 GreenMetric ranking is Wageningen University & Research of the Netherlands, which retains last year’s leading position. It is followed by Ireland’s University College Cork and the UK’s Nottingham Trent University. Two other Hungarian institutions made it into the global top 100: the University of Szeged (41st) and the University of Sopron (99th).
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