UQ receives best Queensland rating in universities guide

The University of Queensland - Australia's 1998-99 University of the Year - has again received the best overall rating of all Queensland universities.

It also has one of the best Australian university ratings in the 2002 edition of the (a href="http://www.thegoodguides.com.au">Good Universities Guide.

The independent consumer guide released yesterday, provides ratings, rankings, comment and information about Australian higher education institutions.

The University received the maximum five-star rating for prestige, student demand, research performance (the research quantum), toughness to get in (St Lucia), staff qualifications, gender balance, getting a job and positive graduate outcomes.

"UQ is Queensland's only provider in many disciplines, and is at the top of academic and student status hierachies in Queensland," the unofficial consumers' guide, edited by Dean Ashenden and Sandra Milligan, says.

"It has established an internationally significant institute for the molecular biosciences, one of the hottest of new academic fields. From 2003 the university will be home to a new Rotary Centre for International Studies, with a focus on conflict resolution and diplomacy.

"A very strong research institution, UQ is one of Australia's biggest producers of PhDs and ranks high on all research indicators. Numbers of international students?are growing quickly."

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay said the University was committed to providing educational opportunities equal to the world's best and it welcomed benchmarking against best practice.

"The Good Universities Guide has again confirmed by independent assessment that The University of Queensland is a world class university," Professor Hay said.

"The University of Queensland continues to obtain the best graduate outcomes in the State. It attracts the dominant share of the State's most able Year 12 students to its undergraduate program, the highest number of course first preferences, and the lion's share of Queensland's Australia Student Prize winners," he said.

Professor Hay said the guide's assessment reflected the University's track record of performance and its attractiveness to students, its first-class facilities, its exceptional research performance and the outstanding success of graduates in gaining employment and access to advanced study.

Students could find out more about UQ's world-class offerings open days at UQ Ipswich (11 Salisbury Road) on Sunday, August 19 from 10am to 2pm and at UQ Gatton on Sunday, August 26 from 9am to 3pm or visit www.studyatUQ.net

For more information, contact Jan King, Office of Marketing and Communications, telephone 0413 601 248.