UQ ranks highly in natural sciences

The University of Queensland has been ranked one of the world’s top universities in natural sciences in prestigious new international rankings released this week.

UQ was listed in the top 100 in the world in environmental sciences (world rank 26), mathematics (=40 world ranking), chemistry and metallurgy and materials (world rank 51-100), and in the top 150 in the world in physics and earth sciences (101-150).

The assessments were released in the QS World University Rankings® for technical subjects.

This result correlates with UQ’s 43rd overall ranking in the top 200 QS World University Rankings® in 2010, placing UQ among the top one percent of more than 9000 international universities.

In the past few months, UQ has been listed in the top 50 in the world for chemical engineering (world rank 29), civil and structural engineering (world rank =34), computer science and information systems (48), psychology (world rank 26), biological sciences (world rank 38), and medicine (ranked 33rd).

It was also ranked in the top 100 in electrical and electronic engineering, and mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering (both in the band 51-100).

Rankings were based on a methodology that included academic reputation, employer reputation, and the number of citations per paper.

QS has advised it will release rankings in Social Sciences and Management, and Arts and Humanities on May 31 on www.topuniversities.com.

The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2011, which were published in March, lists four Australian universities - UQ, the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney and The Australian National University - in its top 100 universities worldwide.

UQ received 81st ranking in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010-2011 released last September.

UQ ranked among the top 18 universities in the Asia-Pacific region and 108th worldwide in the 2010 Academic Rankings of World Universities study conducted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

The Excellence in Research for Australia initiative ranked 21 broad fields of UQ research in the highest two ratings bands, which signify well above world standard and above world standard.

UQ's research in Biomedical and Clinical Health Sciences, BioTechnology, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences was ranked well above world standard (level 5).

The Times Higher Education has ranked UQ in the top 10 universities across Australia and New Zealand for research in environmental sciences and ecology.

The rankings were drawn from data by Thomson Reuters’ Essential Science Indicators and were based on the number of citations per paper for institutions in Australia and New Zealand during the period of January 2000 to December 2010.

The fields of research in which UQ was rated at level 4 (above world standard) were Economics, Education, Law & Legal Studies, History & Archaeology, Technology (engineering & environment), Mathematical Sciences, Philosophy & Religious Studies, Language Communication & Culture, Studies in Creative Arts & Writing, Built Environment & Design, Psychology & Cognitive Sciences, Studies in Human Society, Medical & Health Sciences (Public and Allied Health), Commerce, Management and Tourism & Services.

To learn more about studying the natural sciences at UQ, please visit www.uq.edu.au/study.

Media: Jan King 0413 601 248