Suzanne Lazaroo
24 June 2021: The University of Canberra continues its ascent as the fastest-rising university in the world, ranking at 16 in the world and at number 2 nationally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings.
The THE Young University Rankings assesses universities across the globe, formed from 1971 to the present.
Universities are analysed according to 13 performance indicators grouped into five areas: teaching, research, citations (which denote research influence), international outlook (for staff, students and research), and industry income.
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon said that the rankings results were a reflection of the University’s purpose and identity – as a dynamic civic university deeply-embedded in the Canberra community, its impact rippling outward to the region, the nation and the world.
“As with anything the University has achieved, this excellent result is all thanks to the UC community,” Professor Nixon said.
“It belongs to our educators, who place the teaching and learning experiences of students at the forefront of everything they do, and to our researchers, working with tireless dedication to blaze new frontiers and build collective knowledge.
“To our professional staff, who are dedicated to amplifying UC’s impact in so many ways, and to donors to the University, many of whom are alumni, and whose faith and contributions help translate potential into real change.
“And of course, to our students, who have proven time and again that they are agile, innovative, focused, and ready for the world.”
Professor Nixon said that the University’s consistent and rapid rise, nationally and internationally, was built on several pillars – one of which was its strong focus on both high quality teaching and learning.
“Our strong partnerships and collaborations with industry allow us to take learning, teaching and research experiences much further, underscoring all teaching with Work Integrated Learning experiences,” he said. “In addition, these alliances amplify our community impact through initiatives like the University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) and the Health Hub.”
Another pillar underscoring the University’s consistent rise is one particularly close to the heart of a Vice-Chancellor who has a personal stake in equity and widening access for all.
“I would also attribute this swift rise in the rankings to the University’s long-term, progressive push to make higher education more accessible – an initiative which was recognised when UC was named first in the world for reducing inequalities in the 2021 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings,” Professor Nixon said.
“And of course, UC’s research, across focus areas such as communication, education, environment, governance and health is world class, with demonstrable and resonant impact.
“This research ranges from the glass ceiling-smashing work of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, to the Institute for Applied Ecology’s wide-ranging impact on the best ways to manage the world’s precious resources, to the prescient microsimulation and economic modelling from the National Centre For Social And Economic Modelling (NATSEM), which has tremendous impact on public policy."
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Professor Leigh Sullivan said that the University’s research centres are making clear, present and future-facing contributions to overcome a range of critical issues facing Canberra, the region, the nation and the world.
“There is one criterion in particular that characterises research at the University of Canberra,” Professor Sullivan said. “This is the combination of innovation with impact, to make a positive difference to the world.
“To provide a snapshot of some of the research now ongoing at the University: a team at the STEM Education Research Centre (SERC) lead by Centenary Professor Tom Lowrie has been awarded $5.4 million from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment for the Centre’s Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA) Program.
“Another team led by Associate Professor Tony Eaton at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research (CCCR) was recently awarded a $1 million extension contract with the Department of Defence for the Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills (ARRTS), which helps veterans suffering from PTSD.
“And for his research on the detection of khapra beetle eDNA in shipping containers – which will significantly enhance Australia’s biosecurity – Dr Alejandro Trujillo Gonzalez from the Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics under the Institute for Applied Ecology has been recently awarded over $720,000.”
With these as just a few recent examples of research initiatives, the University’s ongoing development in infrastructure, outlook and strategy will continue to create and grow opportunities across the institution and beyond.
In March this year, the University revealed its Campus Master Plan, an ambitious blueprint for the future set to be fulfilled over the next 20 years.
Embracing the concept of ‘The Educated Life’, it includes better integration between campus and community, light rail access and an expansion of sport facilities.
Last week, the University of Canberra unveiled its Sport Strategy, becoming the first Australian university to have one in place.
Already established as a national sporting hub, the University revealed its ambitious plan to become Australia’s leading university for women in sport and sport integrity, as well as placing in the top three sports science universities in the country.
It will achieve this via partnerships with peak sporting bodies, professional sport teams, community sport partnerships and its elite athlete program.
“As I mentioned, these are challenging times for higher education institutions – but they are certainly exciting times as well,” Professor Nixon said.
“There is so much possibility and potential to realise right now, growth to be undertaken, boundaries to be smashed – and I think the indomitable spirit of the University of Canberra is perfectly poised to do all that, and more.”
For more information on the 2021 THE Young University Rankings, go to the main rankings website.
