Overall ranking: 61st in the world (up 203 places from last year)

Ranked 1st in the world in the Cost-Benefit Management category.

Gachon University ranked 61st in the world in the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI), which evaluates universities based on their level of innovation. The WURI selection committee announced the 2025 rankings on August 10 at the Hanja University Alliance meeting in Dumaguete, Philippines. This marks a remarkable rise of 203 places from last year’s 264th position, the largest ranking jump among South Korean universities.

This year’s evaluation considered 4,866 university innovation programs submitted by 1,350 universities worldwide. Gachon University ranked highly in key categories, including:

1st in Cost-Benefit Management

4th in ESG Trends

16th in University Brand & Reputation

In the Cost-Benefit Management category, Gachon was recognized for its energy-saving measures and green campus initiatives through a “concentrated leave system.” In the ESG Trends category, the university’s Bonjour service-learning program, linked to academic majors, received high marks.

In the global rankings, Minerva University in the U.S., featured in the EBS documentary “University Innovation”, ranked 1st, Arizona State University took 2nd place, and France’s École 42 ranked 3rd.

The World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) evaluates universities’ innovation capabilities based on the impact of their education, research, and social engagement on societal change. The ranking is jointly organized by four institutions: the Hanja University Alliance (HLU), the Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC), UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), and the Taylor Institute of Franklin University Switzerland.

President Lee Gilya stated, “The global recognition reflects our university’s continuous efforts in educational innovation, including the P-Semester system, Ntree Camp, Startup College, and BBC (advanced field) specialization programs. We will continue striving to become a university that cultivates innovative talent ready to excel on the global stage.”