How the overall ranking score is calculated
To appear in the overall ranking, a university must submit SDG 17 plus at least 3 other SDGs. THE calculates an annual score using a fixed formula, then averages it with the previous year's score.
The formula
mandatory · 22%
26% each
If you submit more than 3 other SDGs, THE automatically picks the 3 where your scaled score is highest — not necessarily where you rank highest.
Inside each SDG: the three components
Every SDG score is assembled from three components. Evidence is always the largest slice:
Evidence scoring: 0 to 3 points per indicator
For each evidence indicator, THE evaluates three things in sequence:
| Question | Points |
|---|---|
| Does the university actually do this? | Yes=1 · Partial=0.5 · No=0 |
| Is the evidence specifically relevant to the question? | Specific=+1 · General=+0.5 |
| Is the evidence publicly accessible online? | Yes=+1 |
THE now uses AI to validate every URL. The answer must be immediately visible on the page — no scrolling, no navigation, no login.
Two question formats
The university either does it or doesn't. One URL proving the activity exists is sufficient.
Choose the best-matching option (e.g. free/subsidised, local/regional/national). Evidence must prove the specific option claimed, not just that the activity exists.
The three types of data
THE collects three fundamentally different types of data for each SDG. Understanding who handles each type is essential — your committee only needs to focus on one of them.
One URL per indicator — it has to be exact
You submit exactly one piece of evidence per indicator. It must be a direct, stable, publicly accessible URL. THE's AI validation checks that the page content directly answers the specific indicator question — submitting a general sustainability page when the question asks specifically about a smoke-free policy will score much lower than submitting the policy document itself.
Click any SDG to expand its indicators · Click ▸ question to see the exact question THE asks · Click the status button to track coverage
Choosing which SDGs to compete in
You must submit SDG 17 plus at least 3 others. The goal is not to submit as many as possible — it is to submit the ones where you can score highest. The chart below shows evidence indicator count per SDG and updates live as you mark coverage.
Five factors to consider
| Factor | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Existing evidence | Does the university site already have pages or policies answering several indicators? These are free points waiting to be submitted. |
| Research strength | The bibliometric component (27%) is automatic. If the university publishes in an SDG's topic area, that SDG already has a strong base score. |
| Portal data readiness | If Guedda Djebari has the statistical data for an SDG's portal indicators, that 27% is already covered. |
| Evidence indicator count | Fewer evidence indicators = less committee work. SDG 9 has zero evidence indicators — submitting it costs nothing. |
| Cross-indicator leverage | Some evidence covers multiple indicators simultaneously. A sustainability report covers SDGs 12 and 17 at once — find these high-leverage items first. |
SDG 17 is mandatory — plan it first
SDG 17 must be submitted for the university to appear in the overall ranking. A single annual sustainability report can satisfy all 17 of the SDG reporting indicators (17.3.1–17.3.17) at once.
Evidence indicators per SDG — live coverage
Evidence guide
Collecting evidence is not just finding any related page — it requires matching the right proof to the right indicator question. Use this as a checklist before submitting any URL.
Before you submit a URL: 6-point checklist
High-leverage items — one URL, multiple indicators
Find and submit these first — they dramatically reduce the total URLs you need to collect.
| Evidence item | Indicators covered |
|---|---|
| Annual sustainability report | 12.4.1 + 17.3.1→17.3.17 |
| Carbon neutrality commitment | 13.4.1 + 13.4.2 |
| Mental health support page | 3.3.5 + 3.3.7 |
| Maternity & paternity policy | 5.6.3 + 5.6.9 |
| Anti-discrimination policy | 10.6.4 + 10.6.11 |
| Open campus / public access | 11.2.1 + 11.2.2 + 11.2.3 + 11.2.4 |
| Water discharge quality policy | 14.4.1 + 15.4.1 |