Washington, U.S.A. — U.S. News & World Report, providers of service news and information, released on October 23, the fifth annual edition of the World’s Best Universities rankings. For the past two years, the United Kingdom’s University of Cambridge topped the list, but this year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology jumped from third to first. The 2012 World’s Best rankings, which include colleges and universities in the United States and across the globe, are available online at www.usnews.com/worldsbest.

The World’s Best Universities rankings, updated annually by U.S. News, are based on the 2012 QS World University Rankings, developed by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a leading global career and education network. Using a different methodology and ranking data than the well-known U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, the World’s Best Universities rates schools on factors such as academic reputation, the proportion of international faculty, and the proportion of international students.

“As the job market becomes more competitive, there’s a growing interest among prospective students to attend institutions abroad,” said U.S. News & World Report Editor and Chief Content Officer Brian Kelly. “The World’s Best Universities rankings help students compare and select the best schools worldwide. In addition, the rankings enable our readers to understand more fully how well American institutions perform when compared with other institutions of higher learning around the world.”

The World’s Best Universities rankings are among the most comprehensive of their kind and include the following lists: Top 400 Universities Worldwide, Top 100 Asian Universities, and Top 100 Latin American Universities. In addition to the regional rankings, there are also global rankings in 25 different subject disciplines, such as electrical engineering, accounting and finance, biological sciences, and the newly added communication and media studies.

An in-depth methodology was used to determine the 2012 rankings. For the Top 400 Universities, six distinct indicators of excellence were evaluated: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, proportion of international faculty, proportion of international students, and citations per faculty. The two regional rankings each have distinct methodologies from the global Top 400 to better reflect the uniqueness of those regions, using indicators such as the specific region’s academic and employer reputations, citations per paper, and proportion of staff with Ph.D’s.

For additional information on the 2012 ranking of the World’s Best Universities, please visit www.usnews.com/worldsbest.

World’s Best Universities Rankings 2012

* For the full list of rankings, visit www.usnews.com/worldsbest

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As sustainable living grows increasingly crucial, higher learning institutions must take up the mantle of environmental leadership, advocacy and innovation to nurture tomorrow’s sustainability champions and find practical, effective green solutions.

U.S. News & World Report-ranked University of Vermont (UVM) has launched the new 100% online certificate in Sustainable Campus Innovation to help higher education institutions claim their place at the forefront of the sustainability revolution. Registration is now under way for this robust training program, with classes starting in March 2012 and will be offered monthly, thereafter.

The certificate in Sustainable Campus Innovation equips those working in operations, administration and student leadership with the training to inspire and guide a green transformation across their campus and surrounding community. Program participants will discover how a commitment to optimizing the triple bottom line can help their institution become a model for sustainability. During three eight-week courses, they can gain a mastery of real-world sustainability skills, including how to:

• Institute sustainable practices in areas including energy, waste, water and transportation to minimize damage to the environment and reduce costs
• Drive environmental innovation to boost enrollment of eco-savvy students
• Increase revenue by decreasing operational deficiencies
• Cultivate a reputation for environmental responsibility
• Keep abreast of and capitalize on emerging green trends
• Incorporate sustainability into the curriculum to encourage student participation and retention

“We are pleased to work with University Alliance to create a program that brings together experts and draws upon the best practices from colleges and universities nationwide to help other institutions advance their sustainability efforts,” said Cynthia Belliveau, Dean of Continuing Education for UVM. “It is our sincere hope that this new program will enable participants to engender a sustainable culture among their own student body, on campus and throughout the greater community.”

Using a state-of-the-art online classroom powered by University Alliance, the certificate in Sustainable Campus Innovation enables professionals across the country and around the world to build sustainability skills under the guidance of distinguished experts in the field. The program features streaming video lectures with convenient 24/7 access, as well as a variety of Web-based tools that connect instructors and participants, including live chat rooms, discussion boards and email.

“We’re excited to facilitate delivery of this new sustainability certificate on behalf of the University of Vermont,” said Adrian Marrullier, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for University Alliance. “The program brings together an institution that is a top authority in one of today’s most imperative disciplines with our pioneering online technology and world-class support services to provide a first-rate learning experience.”

UVM is a demonstrated green authority. Given an “A” rating from the College Sustainability Report Card in 2011, UVM established the Institute for Global Sustainability in 2007 with the mission of educating students and citizens on how to serve as leaders in the transition to a sustainable world.

The university has also commenced registration for its new certificate in Sustainable Innovation, an end-to-end program created to help professionals in business organizations develop sustainability expertise that can increase profitability and community engagement.

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