Deakin moves up rankings

DEAKIN University students are among the world’s best, with new tertiary rankings showing the institute is continuing to improve.

New data shows the university has risen up the world’s tertiary rankings — climbing up 39 spots in 12 months.

It was today ranked equal 270 in the prestigious Quacquarelli Symonds World University rankings.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander said the university first broke into the top 300 two years ago.

In 2010 the university was ranked 360.

The latest ranking places Deakin in the top 1.1 per cent of universities in the world and cements the university in the top 2 per cent of universities in each of the three major global rankings including ARWU and Times Higher Education.

“Deakin is committed to supporting the communities we serve through providing the best teaching and research possible, and today’s rankings show that if you value staff and build a clear and comprehensive strategy towards your goals, the results follow,” Prof den Hollander said.

“The QS rankings have further enhanced Deakin’s reputation as focused on excellence, providing the jobs of the future and supporting our students to provide the best experience possible.”

The QS World University Rankings focused on six key indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation and citations per faculty.

Prof den Hollander said Deakin University was ranked 114 in international faculty and 156 in the international students category.

According to QS, 69 per cent of Australian universities achieved higher rankings than in the previous year.

QS said the dataset indicated Australian universities were benefiting from the global international student community’s uncertainty about the higher education systems in the US and UK.

Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology was named the world number one for a record eighth consecutive year.

The revered University of Cambridge, in contrast, hit its lowest-ever position — seventh — and the UK recorded its third-worst performance ever.

According to QS, international student ratios at UK and US universities have consistently fallen.

Across Australia, Canberra’s Australian National University was again named the nation’s top performer — but it dropped from 24th place to 29th.