BY Ginger Eke Collins
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has achieved a major international milestone after earning recognition in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings during its first participation, a feat the university says will strengthen its global visibility, attract international partnerships, and improve its standing in teaching, research and innovation.
Speaking in an interview with MOUAU NEWS, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Prof Nneoma Elechi Obasi, who led the team that represented the university, said the recognition places MOUAU on the global academic map and serves as an independent benchmark of the institution’s performance in teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.
She said MOUAU was rated in three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Climate Action (SDG 13), and No Poverty (SDG 1). A total of 1,646 universities from 116 countries participated in the 2026 assessment.
According to her, the achievement has positioned MOUAU ahead of some long established Nigerian universities and will help the institution attract top academic talents, expand international research collaborations, secure industry partnerships and access more research grants.
The university delegation also attended the Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress and Partnership Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, where officials of THE held a roundtable meeting with the MOUAU team on strategies to improve the university’s global visibility and future impact ratings.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor academic said THE informed the university of its successful inclusion in the 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings on June 22, while the official results were published on June 24, followed by a certificate presentation during a regional session for Middle East and Africa institutions.
To improve future performance, she disclosed that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, has introduced measures to strengthen data management, including the appointment of an officer to coordinate institutional data and a Director of the Directorate of University Advancement to help staff update and optimise their academic profiles on Google Scholar.
She congratulated the Vice Chancellor, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders for what she described as a collective achievement, urging members of the university community to embrace collaboration rather than unhealthy competition as MOUAU pursues greater global impact.
She also revealed that the university has submitted data for the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Interdisciplinary Subject Rankings, with the results expected to be announced at the World Academic Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, from September 29 to October 1, 2026.
