The inaugural Best Universities Rankings differs from other university rankings in that it recognises both traditional measures of excellence such as research and reputation alongside important, modern measures such as equity and student satisfaction.
Vice-Chancellor Chris Moran welcomed this new approach to recognising the diversity of universities saying it reflects UNE’s efforts to break down barriers to higher education and address inequalities based on background or socio-economic status.
“As a University we are guided by the vision of our first vice-chancellor, Robert Madgwick who held the strong opinion that a ‘University education should be available in a democratic society to all who can benefit from it.'”
“UNE is built on that all-embracing view. We welcome anyone who genuinely aspires to a university education, and has the capability and determination to succeed. As a University we recognise the transformative power of education to lift people out of disadvantage and will support them to succeed.”
“I’m also not surprised that UNE scored well for career outcomes as that metric is intricately linked to equity and access. People are better equipped to succeed in their chosen careers if they have equal opportunity and access to education, resources and mentorship. Equal access to education also diminishes disparities in skill development and help to foster a more competitive job market. Improved career outcomes are also a natural outcome of our flexible engagement with and support of students who are upskilling or changing careers.”
The AFR rankings measured universities across five metrics – research, student satisfaction, career outcomes, equity and access, and global reputation – and was developed in consultation with Australian academics Professor Stephen Parker and Professor Tim Brown. Unlike other international rankings the AFR ranking utilised publicly available data such as the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) and Australian government evaluations of research quality, engagement and impact.
While the rankings were predictably dominated by sandstone universities, UNE did well for a regional university, scoring an overall score of 64 across the five metrics for an overall ranking of 24 out of 40 universities. As basis of comparison, top-ranked University of Queensland had an overall score of 76.
Across the other metrics UNE ranked 19th for student satisfaction, 30th for research and 36th for global reputation.
