What Do University Rankings in Australia Mean?

Whether you have recently graduated or are returning to your studies as a mature-age student, knowing how to choose the right university can be challenging. From your preferred course and preferred location, to entry requirements and the quality of the institution – making your way to a top university involves more than just top marks. 

The above reasons and more are why so much weight is put into university rankings in Australia. Having a clear scoring system allows potential students to sift through their options and arrive at a university – or, in many cases, multiple institutions – that they wish to apply to. 

This year, the University of Adelaide’s ranking brought us into the top 100 tertiary institutions in the world for 2023 – a remarkable feat considering there are well over 10,000 universities worldwide. Read on to discover how university rankings work and how they can help you choose the best school for your studies. 

University rankings in Australia and why they matter 

While there are a few different university rankings in existence, one of the most widely observed systems is the Times Higher Education World University Rankings – or THE Rankings. This system is renowned for its modern and improved ranking methodology, which is broken down into five categories and 13 separate indicators with % weighting. 

• Industry income – innovation 

• Research income from industry, per academic staff – 2.5% 

• International diversity 

• Ratio of international to domestic staff – 3% 

• Ratio of international to domestic students – 2% 

• Teaching – the learning environment 

• Reputational survey (teaching) – 15% 
• PhDs awards per academic – 6% 
• Undergraduates admitted per academic – 4.5% 

• Income per academic – 2.25% 
• PhDs/undergraduate degrees awarded – 2.25% 

• Research – volume, income and reputation 

• Reputational survey (research) – 19.5% 
• Research income (scaled) – 5.25% 

• Papers per research and academic staff – 4.5% 
• Public research income/total research income – 0.75% 

• Citations – research influence 

• Citation impact (normalised average citation per paper) – 32.5% 

The inner workings of rankings systems are often complex, but their purpose is to shine a spotlight on the top universities and give students – and faculty – deeper insights into teaching and learning quality, future employment outcomes, and the overall experience they can expect at the university. 

Why UoA is now one of Australia’s top universities 

The University of Adelaide’s global reputation is on the rise, with a top 100 result in the 2023 THE Rankings highlighting our continued improvement in academic reputation scores, research productivity and impact. 

As Professor Peter Høj AC, the University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, says: “The University of Adelaide’s latest results underscore its recognition and reputation as one of the world’s leading universities. 

These results are due to the excellent work of our community of teachers and researchers, who educate future generations and aim to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges. A top 100 university is only possible with top-ranked staff.” 

Diversity of learning opportunities is driving success 

As an institution with an eye firmly on the future, much of The University of Adelaide’s success in university rankings is down to the diversity of learning opportunities – especially for online study. 

For example, working professionals can study for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) by enrolling in our 100% online course. The university also offers courses across all qualification levels – from undergraduates (Certificate I through to Bachelor Degrees) to postgraduate studies (Honours, Master’s and Doctoral Degrees). 

Rapidly evolving industries are also attracting students to new courses. Along with the recent skills shortage, the rising number of cyber attacks has opened up lucrative career opportunities in cyber security – and The University of Adelaide offers a variety of study options. 

What is the best university in Australia? Forge your own path 

If you are planning on attending one of the top universities in Australia, make sure they not only offer the course you want to undertake, but also high-quality facilities and excellent teachers as well – which is exactly what the University of Adelaide provides. Here are some popular courses that our students are enjoying: 

• Aspiring psychologists can undertake an undergraduate degree in psychology or a Graduate Diploma of Psychology online. From there, students move towards an honours-equivalent Graduate Certificate in Psychology (Advanced) online before entering a master's degree. 
• Elsewhere, cyber security specialists can formalise their existing skills and master real-world cyber security tools by undertaking an undergraduate degree or a Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Online. 

Knowing how to choose the right university will depend on the individual, but Australia’s university rankings can help point you in the right direction. Find out why The University of Adelaide is one of the top universities in the country.