The University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, The University of Sydney and the University of Queensland have been listed on the 2012 Times Higher Education Top 100 World Reputation Rankings list.

 

Melbourne University rose two spots to come in at number 43. ANU followed one place behind, at 44. The University of Sydney was placed 50 on the list with the University of Queensland placed in the 71 to 80 group.

 

“Only 100 universities are listed in our prestigious World Reputation Rankings,” said Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education Rankings.  “That is around 0.5 per cent of the world’s higher education institutions. So those that feature in the list are part of an exclusive global elite of exceptionally powerful university brands,” he said.

 

Mr Baty said the reputation rankings represented good news for Australia, with all four Australian universities improving their placement in the top 100 list since the inaugural rankings in 2011.

 

Universities in Greater China fared better than their Australian counterparts – with two Mainland Chinese universities placing in the top 40 – reflecting China’s ongoing investment into developing word-class universities across the country.

 

The prestigious Tsinghua University came in at number 30, Peking University at 38 and the University of Hong Kong at 39. Two other Hong Kong universities placed in the top 100 – The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (61-70 group) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (81-90 group).

 

The rankings are based on a survey of more than 17,500 academics from 137 countries.

The survey asked academics to nominate up to 15 of the “best” institutions in their field of expertise, based on their experience and knowledge.

 

It is the second year THE has run the reputation rankings which complement the Times Higher Education annual World University Rankings, released in October 2011.

 

The top 10 was dominated by schools from the United States and the United Kingdom with Harvard the world’s leading university by reputation for 2012, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Cambridge, Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

 

The University of Tokyo was the only Asian university to break into the top 10.

 

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Debbie Terry said UQ’s listing in the top 100 universities of the world by reputation in teaching and research was a credit to current and former staff, students and alumni.

 

“It reflects the hard work undertaken by our university community in learning, scholarship and contributions to society, and indicates broad recognition that The University of Queensland brand continues to be an asset to its graduates and current and future students,” she said. ■

 

*To view the full listing, visit: www.timeshighereducation.co.uk