VIC OPTS FOR CONSISTENCY OVER QUALITY IN UNI RANKINGS
The 2012 QS World University Rankings, which rank the top 700 tertiary institutions in the world, were released last week.
Seven out of New Zealand’s eight universities were placed among the world’s best tertiary institutions.
Victoria University was placed at number 237, maintaining the same position it held in the 2011 rankings and putting it in third place among New Zealand universities.
The University of Auckland was the highest ranking New Zealand University, at number 83, down from 82 last year.
AUT was ranked at 500, featuring on the list for the first time since it was established 12 years ago.
All the featured New Zealand universities were placed within the top 500, but Lincoln University was not on the list.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ranked at number one, surpassing Cambridge and Harvard, who traditionally place first.
MIT featured 10th in 2007 and has steadily been rising up the ranks since, coming in at third place last year.
“The rise of MIT coincides with a global shift in emphasis toward science and technology”, said QS Head of Research Ben Sowter.