The 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject features a strong showing from Otago, with several subjects also ranking first in Aotearoa.
The University of Otago is the only New Zealand University to secure a placing in the world’s top 20 subjects in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Our sports-related subjects have continued their climb to 12th in the world in the past year.
Overall, Otago has more top-50 subjects than last year, and also more in the top-100 and top-200 than in 2023, to maintain its position as one of New Zealand’s two top-ranked universities.
Amongst many strong results, we now have four subjects in the global top 50:
- 12th for Sports Related Subjects.
- 30th for Anatomy & Physiology.
- 40th for Dentistry.
- 44th for Hospitality & Leisure Management (Ranked for the first time this year).
In all these subject areas, Otago ranks top in New Zealand.
Dean of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences Associate Professor Elaine Hargreaves is extremely proud of the outstanding result.
“This ranking demonstrates that we have an international reputation for impactful, cutting-edge research. It also shows that through the learning experiences we provide to students, our graduates have the skills and knowledge that are highly sought after by employers.”
Archaeology, Theology and Religious Studies, and Nursing have all retained their placings in the 51-100 band, with Philosophy regaining its position in the same band having tracked just outside it for the last two years. Modern Languages, Anthropology, Sociology, Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Psychology, and Geography have all ranked in the 101-150 band, with English, History, Communication and Media Studies, Education, Law, Biological Sciences, and Earth and Marine Sciences all assessed in the 151-200 band.
A further six subjects have ranked between 201 and 300 in the world, and five more in the global top 500.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Nicholson says Otago has added to its reputation as a world-leading research, teaching and learning institution.
“These achievements reflect the collective efforts of staff and students towards enhancing educational outcomes and research quality and continues our goal of providing high-quality education and conducting impactful research across various disciplines.
“One of the goals of our strategic plan, Pae Tata, is to further enhance our academic standing and global reputation through sustaining momentum, fostering innovation and driving continuous improvement across all aspects of teaching, research and student experience.”
The 2024 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject provides independent comparative analysis on the performance of more than 16,400 individual university programmes, taken by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations around the world, across 55 academic disciplines and five broad faculty areas.