High Fives: the universities and disciplines that really rate

Just about every DVC R wins a prize in Excellence in Research for Australia

The Australian Research Council assembles university research output by four digit research areas, grouped into two-digit discipline codes.

This gives universities a choice of what to spin – those who have not had the time and money to build vast research portfolios focus on four-digit results, detailing achievements in specific subject areas. And two performance levels, “above” and “well above” “world standard” mean it is easy to turn the spin-cycle to flat-out.

But the swathes of science covered by the two digit-fields and “well above world standard” ratings (five) present the big research-picture.

Universities with scores of five by broad research area are below, (apologies for errors and omissions), with the number of institutions submitting performance data in the field.

Mathematical Sciences: CQU, QUT, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNE,  UNSW , Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni SA.  That’s 12 out of 27 universities researching in the field scoring a five.

Physical Sciences: Charles Sturt U, Griffith U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Monash U, RMIT, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA , Uni Southern Queensland , UTS, Uni Wollongong,  18 fives out 25.

Chemical Sciences: Curtin U, Edith Cowan U, Griffith U, La Trobe U, Monash U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney,  Uni Southern Queensland, Uni Wollongong. 13 fives out of 30.

Earth Sciences:  Southern Cross U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, U Tas, six scored five out of 23 rated.

Environmental Sciences: Deakin U, Edith Cowan U, Federation U, Griffith U, James Cook U, Macquarie U, QUT, ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNE, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni Canberra, Uni SA, U Tas, UTS, Uni Sunshine Coast, Western Sydney U 21 rate five out of 34.

Biological Sciences: James Cook U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Monash U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, UWA, UTas, Western Sydney U  13 rated five out of 36.

Agriculture and Vet Sciences: Deakin U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Southern Cross U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, UNE, Uni Queensland, U Tas, UTS, U Sunshine Coast, Western Sydney U.  12 rated five out of 25.

Information and Computing Sciences:  ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Sydney. Four rated five out of 34.

Engineering: Monash U, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, UNSW, Uni Sydney, Uni SA, Victoria U. Eight rated five out 34.

Technology: Deakin U, Griffith U, Monash U, Murdoch U, QUT, ANU, UNSW, Uni Sunshine Coast. Eight rated five out of 16.

Medical and Health Sciences: Australian Catholic U, Charles Darwin U, Deakin U, Monash U, QUT, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni Southern Queensland, Twelve rated five out of 39.

Built environment and design: None of 19 rated five.

Education:  Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Two of 39 rated five.

Economics:  Monash U, Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Three rated five out of 31.

Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services: Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Two rated five out of 39.

Studies in Human Society: ANU, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Three rated five out of 39.

Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Australian Catholic U, CQU, Deakin U, La Trobe U, Monash U, Swinburne U, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, UWA, Uni SA. Twelve rated five out of 36.

Law and legal studies: ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Sydney, Four rated five out of 33.

Studies in Creative Arts and Writing: UNSW. One rated five out of 35.

Language, Communication and Culture: ANU, Uni Melbourne, Uni Sydney. Three rated five out of 33.

History and Archaeology:  Monash U, ANU, Uni Sydney, UWA. Four rated five out of 28.

Philosophy and Religious Studies: Monash U, ANU, Uni Sydney. Three rated five out of 22.


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