The QS World University Rankings, released today, confirm the strength of the Australian university sector and specifically that of the Group of Eight (Go8) – Australia’s leading research-intensive universities with seven of its eight universities again in the world’s top 100.
Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said that the Go8 was “extremely proud” of what its universities continued to achieve for their students, researchers and the Australian economy; delivering international respect and positioning from their dedicated commitment to excellence.
“For example, the latest QS global rankings show that six Go8 universities are in the top 50 for academic reputation – indicating the global regard for Go8 academic excellence and the independence with which our researchers pursue their work,” said Ms Thomson. “Notable also is that all Go8 members are ranked in the top 50 globally for international students. In contrast, the performance of US and UK universities in this indicator has declined – potentially due to domestic political issues.”
Ms Thomson said it was important neither the Australian Government nor the sector ignore the ever-stronger position of universities in Asia in the QS Rankings; with the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University – both from Singapore – ranked equal 11th, and Tsinghua University in China ranked 16. Overall China had 19 universities ranked in the Top 200, compared to only 12 in 2016.
“The message from these rankings for Australia is clear,” she said. “Australian universities are internationally recognised for their quality, and they also continue to be a desirable destination for international students. While Australia should be proud there is no room for complacency. Universities in our region are becoming increasingly competitive, and national policy settings – if not carefully managed – have the potential to damage the performance of a sector internationally,” said Ms Thomson.
“The Go8 is committed to working with Government and the sector to ensure the ongoing success of Australia’s university system.”
