SE Valley Times

Arizona State University (ASU) has been recognized as the top institution for innovation for the tenth consecutive year, according to the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings. This accolade is part of a series of top rankings ASU has received in recent years across various categories.

Since the inception of the "most innovative" category by U.S. News & World Report, ASU has consistently outranked prestigious institutions like MIT and Stanford University. ASU President Michael M. Crow remarked on this achievement, stating, “Receiving the top innovation ranking from our peers for a decade is significant, as it affirms that our enterprise-wide innovation mindset is deeply tied to our institutional identity.”

ASU's sustainability efforts have also been recognized. The university was ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 globally in sustainability practices by the STARS Sustainable Campus Index from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

In addition to these honors, ASU was ranked No. 1 by Times Higher Education for its work aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and as the leading public university hosting international students according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report.

Further notable achievements include being first in research expenditures for anthropology and transdisciplinary sciences by the National Science Foundation and having its journalism school receive top awards from the Broadcast Education Association.

ASU's commitment to impactful projects continues with initiatives like enhancing microchip-making capabilities through federal funding and leading NASA's Psyche mission under Lindy Elkins-Tanton’s leadership.

The university also received substantial grants from agencies such as USAID, aimed at educational opportunities in Africa and reducing gender-based violence in El Salvador.

Collaborating with OpenAI, ASU launched an AI Innovation Challenge which led to numerous ongoing projects within health care and education sectors.

Among individual accolades, several faculty members received prestigious awards including a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” awarded to water expert Amber Wutich, a Tony Honor for Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, and Michelene “Micki” Chi receiving the Yidan Prize for Education Research.

The U.S. News & World Report further highlighted ASU’s excellence in undergraduate teaching and first-year college experience among public universities while maintaining strong standings across various academic programs such as supply chain management and business management information systems within its W.P. Carey School of Business.

These accomplishments reflect ASU’s continuous pursuit of excellence across multiple domains including sustainability, global engagement, research innovation, educational impact, artificial intelligence development, faculty recognition, and academic program quality.