World university rankings under threat if unis take a cut
Six Australian universities are currently in the list of elite universities in a key global ranking but commentators warn funding cuts may weaken the country’s competitive position.
Led by the universities of Melbourne and Queensland, Australia had 23 institutions in a list of the Top 500 published this week by the Shanghai-based Academic Ranking of World Universities.
But the Group of Eight universities, which figure in the top 100, said the government’s plans for higher education — $2.7 billion in savings, including a 2.5 percent cut to funding — could harm the investment in research that pushed Australia up the rankings.