Appearing in 52 out of 54 research disciplines, UNSW Sydney has swept the prestigious ShanghaiRanking's Global Rankings of Academic Subjects (GRAS) for the sixth year in a row, mainly due to its focus on sustainable themes.

Globally, UNSW and the University of British Columbia had the highest number of subjects included in the list. For breadth of quality research worldwide, UNSW has placed first or equal first for the sixth consecutive year.

Key achievements for UNSW Sydney:

  • 10 subjects ranked first in Australia this year
  • Two UNSW subjects feature in the top 10 globally – Mining & Mineral Engineering and Water Resources – both in 10th place
  • 21 subjects in the top 50, more than any other Australian institution

UNSW ranked first in Australia in Water Resources, Library & Information Science, Remote Sensing, Civil Engineering, Psychology, Finance, Mechanical Engineering, Atmospheric Science, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, and Chemistry.

ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects has published the world university ranking by academic subjects since 2009. The 2022 edition assessed 5000 universities in 54 subjects across natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences, and social sciences.

Professor Nicholas Fisk, deputy vice-chancellor, research & enterprise congratulated the university community on its achievements.

“Today’s results underscore the breadth, depth and consistency of UNSW research across almost the whole range of disciplines. To be up there as the world’s most comprehensive university for six years on the trot is a remarkable achievement. Such broad firepower across both HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) positions UNSW as a multidisciplinary powerhouse in tackling the planet’s grand challenges,” Professor Fisk said.

UNSW subjects ranked in the top 50 (global ranking):

  • Water Resources (10)
  • Mining & Mineral Engineering (10)
  • Library & Information Science (12)
  • Remote Sensing (17)
  • Civil Engineering (20)
  • Oceanography (20)
  • Psychology (25)
  • Energy Science & Engineering (25)
  • Telecommunication Engineering (26)
  • Transportation Science & Technology (26)
  • Finance (29)
  • Marine/Ocean Engineering (33)
  • Mechanical Engineering (36)
  • Atmospheric Science (37)
  • Electrical & Electronic Engineering (37)
  • Public Health (39)
  • Metallurgical Engineering (42)
  • Aerospace Engineering (45)
  • Environmental Science & Engineering (48)
  • Instruments Science & Technology (49)
  • Earth Sciences (49)

Photo: UNSW