Victoria has again cemented itself as the Education State, with Melbourne home to Australia’s highest ranking university.
The University of Melbourne is the highest ranked Australian university in the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities, released in Shanghai today.
The university ranked 40th on the list of the top 500 institutes around the world, 15 places clear of the next Australian institution, the University of Queensland.
This year’s rankings are an improvement for the university, which came in at 44th on the list last year and in 2014.
Monash University also placed in the top 100 on the Shanghai Index for the first time, tied for 79th place, one behind the Australian National University in Canberra.
The Andrews Labor Government is working to make sure Victoria remains a top destination for international students.
Victoria is home to 175,000 international students, with Melbourne currently the second best city for international students in the world, just behind Paris.
International education is Victoria’s number one services export and supports more than 30,000 jobs across the state, generating $5.6 billion dollars for the economy last financial year.
The Victorian Budget 2016/17 included $32 million to drive continued growth in the international education sector. It will also be used to help implement the International Education Sector Strategy.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for International Education Steve Herbert
“These ratings cement Victoria as a true leader in global education, with two of the six Australian universities in the top 100 – more than any other state.”
“The University of Melbourne should be congratulated on its achievement. This is also the first time Monash University has cracked the top 100, and to come in at 79 is no mean feat.”
“Victorians are proud that Melbourne is recognised as one of the world’s premier destination cities for international students, and we’re working hard to keep that reputation.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020