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THE Top 10 Universities in Australia

Richard McKeon

Head of Product @ Prosple
According the World University Rankings, the University of Melbourne is Australia’s best institution, followed closely by Australian National University, University of Queensland and University of Sydney.

The top universities in Australia have been released for 2017 by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Australian Universities continue to perform well on the global stage, with 6 of our institutions making it into the top 100.

According the World University Rankings, the University of Melbourne is Australia’s best institution, followed closely by Australian National University, University of Queensland and University of Sydney.

THE top 10 Universities in Australia

University Name Australia Rank 2017 World Rank 2017
University of Melbourne 1 33
Australian National University 2 47
University of Queensland 3 60
University of Sydney 3 60
Monash University 5 74
University of New South Wales 6 78
University of Western Australia 7 125
University of Adelaide 8 142
University of Newcastle 9 201-250
Queensland University of Technology 9 201-250

 

There are several global university ranking systems, such as the QS World University Rankings and the CWUR World University Rankings, but the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings is generally considered as the authoritative source on university rankings. The methodology behind THE’s ranking system changes slightly each year, but has been relatively consistent since the 2011-12 publication. It breaks down university performance into 5 areas:

  • Teaching (the learning environment): 30%
  • Research (volume, income and reputation): 30%
  • Citations (research influence): 30%
  • International outlook (staff, students and research): 7.5%
  • Industry income (knowledge transfer): 2.5%

THE World University Rankings have received criticism for the emphasis it places on research (Research and Citations make up 60% of the score) as opposed to teaching performance (which makes up only 30%). Most students don’t go onto become researchers, so the quantity and quality of a university’s publications are relatively unimportant.

For students wishing to compare universities based on other metrics, the Australian Government publishes data on through the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website. Universities can be compared based on:

  • Student Experience
  • Graduate Employment
  • Graduate Satisfaction
  • Employer Satisfaction

THE Universities in Australia - full list

University Name Australia Rank 2017 World Rank 2017
University of Melbourne 1 33
Australian National University 2 47
University of Queensland 3 60
University of Sydney 3 60
Monash University 5 74
University of New South Wales 6 78
University of Western Australia 7 125
University of Adelaide 8 142
University of Newcastle 9 201-250
Queensland University of Technology 9 201-250
Charles Darwin University 11 251-300
Deakin University 11 251-300
Griffith University 11 251-300
James Cook University 11 251-300
Macquarie University 11 251-300
University of South Australia 11 251-300
University of Technology, Sydney 11 251-300
University of Wollongong 11 251-300
University of Tasmania 19 201-350
Flinders University 20 201-350
La Trobe University 20 201-350
Swinburne University of Technology 20 201-350
Victoria University 20 201-350
University of Canberra 24 401-500
Central Queensland University 24 401-500
Curtin University 24 401-500
Murdoch University 24 401-500
RMIT University 24 401-500
Western Sydney University 24 401-500
Bond University 24 501-600
Edith Cowan University 30 501-600
Southern Cross University 30 501-600
University of the Sunshine Coast 30 501-600
Australian Catholic University 34 501-600
University of Southern Queensland 34 501-600