Auckland University, AUT climb in world rankings
NZ’s top university rises 10 places to 137th in latest international table
New Zealand’s universities have climbed in the latest world rankings from Times Higher Education. Out of more than 1600 institutions, the University of Auckland has risen to 137th in the world, up from 147th last year.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and the University of Otago are second-equal in New Zealand after AUT joined Otago in the 200-250 ranking band.
The 2022 rankings, released in Britain this week, look at five criteria: Teaching, research, international outlook, citations and industry income.
Times Higher Education is one of several companies that rank universities around the world. Its methodology is based on a number of data points, including how often research is cited by other academics, and a survey of more than 22,000 scholars.
Oxford University is ranked top in the world, followed by California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, MIT, Princeton, Berkeley and Yale.
Universities use their rankings as a marketing tool to attract students.
But New Zealand science educator Michelle Dickinson, known as Nanogirl, has called global rankings unhelpful for students deciding which university to attend.
Auckland’s vice-chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater, said it was “no mean feat” to improve the university’s levels of education and research in the current environment, and commended the university’s staff.
“It is the strength of our academic disciplines, including transdisciplinary collaborations, wholeheartedly supported by our professional staff, that is reflected in this result,” Freshwater said.
The university’s biggest improvement was in teaching, particularly in the “doctorates awarded to academic staff” ratio, she said.
Its “international outlook” ranking was strengthened by its retention and support plan for international students as well as its high level of international collaboration on publications.
At AUT, vice-chancellor Derek McCormack said the university was young and modern and to have continuously moved up the rankings to sit alongside Otago was “a significant achievement”.
“These results reflect the ongoing efforts of our teaching, research and administrative staff, and the performance of our students and graduates.”
A recent Quacquarelli Symonds ranking saw most Kiwi universities slide. The University of Auckland fell four places to 85, though it was the only New Zealand university to place in the top 100. AUT ranked 451 in the QS rankings.