NZ universities rank in top 112 most international universities

The Times Higher Education’s list of the most international universities released today ranks seven New Zealand universities within the top 112 in the world.  This ranking compares the world's universities to identify the ones that are best at attracting staff and students from around the world and that have the widest range of collaborations with overseas universities.

Executive Director of Universities New Zealand, Chris Whelan, says these findings reinforce the high quality of New Zealand universities.

“We are the only country in the world with all of its universities ranked in the top 500 (3%) of universities globally.  That's an incredible achievement.  It's built on the fact we can attract the best teachers and researchers who can, in turn, offer world-class teaching and carry out internationally respected research.

"For a small country at the bottom of the world, this is a source of significant economic and social benefit.  Our young people don't need to leave the country to get a world-class education and we can support our industry and social institutions with skilled graduates and a steady flow of knowledge and new ideas.

"We also contribute directly to the economy through international education.  International education is this country's sixth largest export market generating $3.1 billion annually.  Universities account for a third of that - mainly due to their strong reputation and rankings internationally."

But Chris Whelan warns that this is at risk.  "New Zealand universities receive only about 70% of the funding per student as comparable universities in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia.  As a consequence, our rankings have been slowly slipping over the past decade and it's getting harder and harder to compete for the international staff and students."

"Our universities need a real and substantial increase in long term funding if they are to remain high quality and capable of continuing to carry out world class teaching and research."

New Zealand universities ranked as follows in the Times Higher Education world’s most international universities for 2016:

• 12 Auckland University of Technology
• 39 University of Canterbury
• 40 University of Auckland
• 50 University of Otago
• 58 Victoria University of Wellington
• 68 University of Waikato
• 112 Massey University

Phil Baty, Times Higher Education World University Rankings editor says: “An institution’s global outlook is one of the key markers of a prestigious university. The top institutions hire faculty from all over the world, attract students from a global market of top talent and collaborate with leading departments wherever they happen to be based.

“All institutions in this list deserve to celebrate – being named one of the most international universities in the world is a sign of great potential, competitiveness and dynamism.”

THE considers each institution’s proportion of international staff, proportion of international students and proportion of research papers published with at least one co-author from another country.

The “Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-16” results and analysis are at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/worlds-mo...

For further information contact: Hazel Dobbie, Communications Manager, Universities NZ, hazel.dobbie@universitiesnz.ac.nz