Why progress on Impact Rankings matters amid COVID The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings measure a range of issues, from stewardship, research, outreach and community engagement to partnerships and policy advice to governments, issues that are crucial in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. This year shows the growing importance that institutions are placing in the ranking. In 2021 there are 1,115 ranked institutions compared to 768 last year, with the countries that have most significantly increased their presence being Russia and India. The number of globally ranked institutions from India has almost doubled, from 26 to 49, and reflects the fact that a great many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) bear directly on the core challenges that India faces when it comes to poverty, gender equity, urbanisation and climate change.