Special seminar on QS Sustainability Rankings
Under the patronage of Prof. Alia Abbas Al-Attar, President of Northern Technical University, and under the supervision of Assistant Professor . Maqsood Adel Mahmoud, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Technologies, the Department of Quality Assurance and University Performance at the faculty organized a scientific seminar as part of the sustainable development programs entitled: QS Sustainability Ranking. The seminar was presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Ghassan Jassim Hadi, head of the above division, and attended by a number of faculty members. This seminar comes within the framework of the efforts of the Northern Technical University and the College of Health and Medical Technologies/Al-Dour to promote understanding of the concept of sustainability and its role in global university rankings, particularly the QS Sustainability Ranking. The seminar aimed to clarify the theoretical basis of sustainability and its relationship to sustainable development goals, highlighting the importance of incorporating sustainability principles into education, scientific research, and governance within the university. The seminar included a brief presentation on the concept of sustainability based on the classic definition of the Brundtland Commission. followed by a review of the QS Sustainability Ranking as one of the modern rankings that focuses on university performance in environmental, social, and governance areas, in addition to education and research. It also highlighted some of the ranking’s themes, such as environmental education and research, equality, health and well-being, and governance, and discussed ways to leverage these themes to improve Northern Technical University’s position in global rankings.
The seminar concluded with a set of recommendations:
- Adopting a concise institutional policy for sustainability at the university level, to be officially announced and published in Arabic and English.
- Form a committee or unit to follow up on sustainability and collect the data needed for QS rankings and others.
- Promote the integration of sustainability concepts into the curriculum and student and research activities within the college.
- Encourage research and initiatives that contribute to improving the university’s environmental, social, and governance performance.
