Global Rankings Drop for 70% of Australian Universities
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- 8 hours ago
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It’s been a rough year for Australia’s top universities, with most sliding down the latest QS World University Rankings—reflecting a sector facing pressure from all sides.
The University of Melbourne, usually Australia’s standout, dropped seven places to 19th, while the University of Sydney slipped from 18th to 25th globally. UNSW also edged down a spot, from 19th to 20th.
Out of 36 Australian universities ranked, a whopping 25 dropped in position, while only seven managed to climb. It’s the third-largest percentage fall globally—only Austria and Russia fared worse.
So, what’s going on?
According to experts, it’s a mix of funding cuts, uncertainty over international student policies, and growing competition from fast-improving universities in countries like China and India.
Angel Calderon, a strategist at RMIT and advisor to the rankings board, says the sector’s problems have been building for years.
“Restructuring, staff changes, funding issues—these all impact how the world sees our universities,” he explained.
“We’ve seen Australia’s academic and employer reputation steadily drop.”
And that reputation is key. The QS rankings are based on several factors—reputation, research impact, teaching quality, international outlook, and sustainability. This year, Australia was hit hardest in academic and employer reputation, with 20 and 30 universities falling in those categories respectively.
The ongoing tension with the U.S., including suspensions of research programs and political pressure from Donald Trump’s second administration, hasn’t helped either. Seven Australian universities were directly affected, and others have been scrutinised for how closely they align with American interests.
Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific rivals are rising fast. In China and India, over 40% of universities moved up the list. Even four out of New Zealand’s eight universities climbed in rank.
QS CEO Jessica Turner says Australia’s global standing is now at risk due to a mix of government migration reforms, visa changes, and public debates linking international students to housing pressures.
“There’s a real need for stable policy and sustainable research funding,” she said.
Despite the drop, there are still some silver linings. Australia ranks fifth in the world for universities in the global top 100, with nine unis making the cut—a sign that there’s still a solid foundation to build on.
Vicki Thomson, CEO of the Group of Eight (Go8), agrees the results are a wake-up call—but says there’s also reason to be proud.
“Having two Go8 members in the world’s top 20 and six in the top 50 is an achievement we shouldn’t take for granted,” she said.
“But to stay competitive, we need to invest, adapt, and support our students and researchers.”
In short: Australia’s higher education sector is still world-class—but unless there’s strong action to protect it, it risks falling behind in an increasingly competitive global race.
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