With five subjects ranked in the global top 20 and 35 in the top 50 the University of Sydney has continued its strong performance in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
The rankings also put the University first in Australia in nine disciplines and overall 20 subjects improved their global ranking.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 evaluate over 5,200 universities and rank 1,747 across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas. The broad subject areas are Natural Sciences, Life Sciences and Medicine, Engineering and Technology, Arts and Humanities, and Social Sciences and Management.
Natural Sciences showed the greatest improvement in rank for broad subject areas moving 14 places. In those broad categories the rankings were: Life Sciences and Medicine (24th up from 27th), Arts and Humanities (35), Social Sciences and Management (38th up from 40th), Natural Sciences (58th up from 72nd) and Engineering and Technology (60th up from 68th).
Within the 55 narrow disciplines the University had five disciplines in the top 20 including Sport, our top ranked subject, third globally. Out of 55 disciplines the University maintained its excellent result of having 52 subjects in the top 100 globally. (The University is not assessed on the other three disciplines.)
Improvements in global ranking for disciplines included Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies (rising 15 places to rank 23rd) Mathematics (rising 16 places to rank 38th) and Engineering – Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing (rising 15 places to rank 52nd).
Domestically, the University ranked first in Australia for nine disciplines - Anatomy and Physiology, Classics and Ancient History, Communication and Media Studies, Computer Science and Information Systems, Library and Information Management, Mathematics, Nursing, Social Policy and Administration and Veterinary Science.
The QS subject rankings include measures of academic and employer reputation and research excellence, including citations.
The University performed especially well on academic reputation and citations, indicators of the impact and quality of our research across a range of disciplines. Our ability and potential to translate our research into real-world solutions is reflected in these results
Professor Julie Cairney
Interim Vice-Chancellor (Research)
“The University performed especially well on academic reputation and citations, indicators of the impact and quality of our research across a range of disciplines. Our ability and potential to translate our research into real-world solutions is reflected in these results”Professor Julie Cairney
Interim Vice-Chancellor (Research)
“As one of many indicators of research and teaching excellence I congratulate our staff on our continuing success in the prestigious QS subject rankings. Our commitment to impactful research is reflected in our record $100 million investment in our Horizon Fellows, involving ongoing support for 40 early and mid-career academics researching solutions to the complex problems of climate change, health and sustainability," said Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott.
“It underpins our landmark investment in the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator (SBA) a visionary partnership with the Sydney Local Health District and NSW Government that will foster a nation-leading biomedical complex. The SBA will fast track scientific discovery and revolutionise healthcare, collaborating with industry and start-ups as part of a world-leading hospital and tech innovation ecosystem.”
University of Sydney Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Julie Cairney said, “The University performed especially well on academic reputation and citations, indicators of the impact and quality of our research across a range of disciplines. Our ability and potential to translate our research into real-world solutions is reflected in these results.
“Just some of our recent research from the University includes:
how influencers are promoting misleading information about medical tests on Instagram and TikTok
how Australians are waiting an average of 12 years to seek treatment for mental health and substance use disorders
a new chemical engineering technique, which turns methane emissions from landfill into sustainable jet fuel
engineering scientists developing a surface coating that could stop blood clotting in medical devices like catheters and stents
developing an AI method to reduce the energy required by data centres
an architectural study on more than 580,000 new homes in Australia, examining the relationship between big design and inefficient energy use
archaeological research on the earliest emergence of clothing.”
The University ranked 18th in the highly regarded 2025 QS World University Rankings, published in 2024, our best ever result.
Verity Leatherdale
Manager, Faculty Media & PR
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