University of Sydney rises in QS subject rankings
This year’s QS subject rankings cover 51 specific subjects, as well as five broad subject areas: Engineering & Technology, Arts & Humanities, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management. Universities are evaluated using a range of research metrics, as well as the results of the QS Global Academic and Employer Surveys.
Sports-related Subjects (which includes physical therapy, sports therapy and rehabilitation) remains the University of Sydney’s best performing subject, ranking fourth in the world.
Anatomy & Physiology moves to 12th position from 28th, our greatest improvement at a subject level.
Other subjects ranking in the top 20 include Nursing (12th), Pharmacy & Pharmacology (14th), Law (16th), Engineering – Civil & Structural (17th), Medicine (18th), English Language & Literature (18th) and Geography (20th).
The University of Sydney’s ranking in all five broad subject areas also increased. Life Sciences & Medicine (19th) is our strongest field, while Engineering & Technology moves up 20 positions to 45th position. Employer reputation scores are also higher in all five broad subject areas.
Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott, said the results demonstrate the breadth and quality of the University of Sydney’s research and education.
“Our researchers have dedicated their careers to understanding and solving the world’s greatest problems. Since the start of the pandemic this has included vital research on a wide range of related areas, from determining the origins of the virus and mapping its trajectory, to mental health impacts, vaccine hesitancy, and more.
“Beyond the pandemic, academics from across our faculties are at the forefront of human discovery and innovation, conducting research that ignites interest from industry and influences public policy.”
Academics from across our faculties are at the forefront of human discovery and innovation, conducting research that ignites interest from industry and influences public policy
Recently three University of Sydney researchers were awarded top honours in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science: Professor Edward Holmes for his role in the scientific response to COVID-19, Associate Professor Michael Bowen for his work combatting addiction and Professor Tony Weiss for breakthroughs in healing tissues and organs.
Other developments led by our researchers over the past year include:
- advances in solar panel technology
- work to discover how soil can be a sustainable and potentially powerful tool to combat the effects of global warming
- an ultra-fast communication method to facilitate Tactile Internet
- a low-cost, long-range, high-data WiFi system
- a world-first consortium to fight global corneal blindness
- a technology that allows autonomous vehicles to track moving pedestrians or behind buildings and cyclists obscured by cars, trucks, and buses
- biophysical modelling study that challenged outdated public health guidance discouraging fan use in temperatures higher than 35 degrees Celsius
- advanced mental health modelling by the Brain and Mind Centre being recognised as a top innovation by the World Economic Forum
- the launch of a world-first multiple sclerosis global image database.
“Employers also understand that our graduates make exceptional employees, and bring a wide range of valuable knowledge, skills and experience with them into the workforce,” Professor Scott said.
“Our teaching academic and support staff have worked incredibly hard throughout the pandemic to continue to deliver a world class educational experience for our students, as these results demonstrate.”
