Iranian Sustainable Building Scientific Association International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability 2538-1628 5 2 2024 04 01 The role of academic performance of universities on sustainability with an emphasis on GreenMetric evaluation components (Case study: Iranian universities) 110 123 713376 10.22034/ijumes.2024.2016486.1181 EN Hamed Kamelnia Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran 0000-0001-9339-9118 Afsaneh Ghalehnovi Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Khorasan Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran 0000-0001-7775-6621 Journal Article 2023 11 25 In the contemporary context, the imperative to address climate and environmental challenges has prompted universities worldwide to prioritize sustainability in their operational frameworks. Notably, numerous universities in Iran have taken significant strides towards incorporating sustainable practices into their academic systems. This research endeavors to scrutinize the nexus between the scientific and environmental performances of universities in Iran, posing the fundamental question: "Is there a discernible relationship between sustainability and academic performance in universities?" To investigate this, data from five university ranking systems were aggregated. Employing linear regression analysis, the study aimed to elucidate the correlation between sustainability and scientific performance. The ensuing results were juxtaposed against analogous research studies conducted previously. The findings indicate that the GreenMetric ranking system exhibits a minimal correlation with ARWU (R2=0.034) and THE (R2=0.0278). This is attributed to the predominant focus of these systems on quantitative metrics such as the volume of studies, references, and scholarly contributions. In contrast, a more substantial correlation was observed with QS (R2=0.2282). Intriguingly, NTU displayed a stronger correlation with the GreenMetric ranking system (R2=0.2562), albeit in a negative direction. In summation, the research posits that the scientific performance of universities in Iran may not necessarily reflect their environmental performance. This discrepancy is elucidated by the nuanced impact of factors such as the geographical location, age, and historical context of a university, which emerge as pivotal determinants influencing both scientific and environmental rankings. Consequently, any comprehensive assessment in this realm necessitates a nuanced consideration of these contextual variables. https://www.ijumes.com/article_713376_13e2c4a98ef71e5027ca6ea9706e67e1.pdf