Melbourne has the best academic reputation of any Australian uni, Times Higher Education says

The University of Melbourne has topped the list of Australia’s most prestigious higher education facilities globally. The annual Times Higher Education (THE) world academic reputation rankings revealed there were 10 Australian universities in the top 300 universities ranked, with The University of Melbourne (UoM) coming in at number 47 on the list. The University of Sydney was number 60, while Monash University ranked 63rd on the list. The University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Emma Johnston said the uni’s ranking showed the world how great Australian institutions could be. “This acknowledgment from our peers around the world opens the door to new collaborations and more career opportunities for our students and researchers,” Ms Johnston said. UoM vice-chancellor Emma Johnston. Picture: Newswire “The result reflects the outstanding contributions of our exceptional staff, strong global connections, comprehensive academic environment and research partnerships. “As someone who proudly holds multiple degrees from The University of Melbourne, I’m deeply conscious of maintaining our connections with alumni, academic institutions and employers, here in Australia and overseas, to benefit our students and research. “The rise of many Australian universities in these latest rankings further strengthens Australia’s reputation in higher education and reinforces Australia’s standing on the global stage.” The 14th annual ranking assessed 300 institutions from 38 countries. Rounding out the Australian universities in the top 100 were The University of Queensland (78th), The Australian National University (86th) and University of New South Wales (equal 97th). The Sydney-based institution has managed to crack the top 100 reputational rankings for the first time since 2020. The institution’s last ranking landed 126-150 on the list in 2023. Related stories: Uni rankings have declined by an average of five places. Here’s why | First female vice-chancellor appointed at the University of Melbourne Elsewhere in the global 2025 reputational rankings, both The University of Western Australia and The University of Adelaide landed in the 151-200 rankings, while the Queensland University of Technology and the University of Technology Sydney ranked from 201-300. Harvard University topped the rankings for the 14th year. Meanwhile, four new countries – Chile, Malaysia, Poland and Portugal – entered the World Reputation Rankings in 2025. THE chief global affairs officer Phil Baty said it was exciting to see some “real shifts” in the global standing of universities. THE's Phil Baty said there are some clear emerging new forces in these rankings. Picture: Newswire “There is no doubt that academic reputation is a powerful currency in global higher education – it shapes student choices, faculty movement, institutional collaborations and investments,” Mr Baty said. “And Times Higher Education’s Academic Reputation Survey, drawing on more than three-quarters of a million votes from a survey of over 55,000 expert academics worldwide, provides the definitive view of the world’s most prestigious universities – the top global academic brands. “While the global university super brands from the United States and United Kingdom remain strongly in place, there are some clear emerging new forces, and the extension of the ranking from a top 200 to a top 300 showcases a more diverse range of strong global academic brands.”