Curtin engineering courses rank highly in global subject ranking

Miri – 22 June 2016 – Curtin University has been ranked among the world’s top universities in six engineering subjects in ShanghaiRanking’s 2016 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, including a top 50 position in two of the subjects and a top 150 position in a further two.

The newly developed Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for 2016 provides rankings in seven engineering subjects, employing a methodology comprised of eight indicators and containing an emphasis on citations and co-authorships. The rankings include measures of research productivity, quality and impact, international collaborations, global influence and academic awards.

Released on 15 June 2016, the ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects featured Curtin University in the following:

• Energy Science & Engineering – ranked 32nd in the world
• Civil Engineering – ranked equal 41st in the world
• Chemical Engineering – ranked in the top 150 in the world
• Environmental Science & Engineering – ranked in the world’s top 150
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering – ranked in the world’s top 400
• Materials Science & Engineering – ranked in the world’s top 600

Professor Deborah Terry, Curtin Vice-Chancellor, said the rankings very clearly highlight the breadth and depth of engineering research at Curtin University.

“The areas of Energy Science and Civil Engineering are ranked in the top 50 in the world. Two further Curtin engineering disciplines are ranked in the top 150 worldwide, demonstrating Curtin University’s research leadership position across the field of engineering,” Professor Terry said.

Meanwhile, Professor Jim Mienczakowski, Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive of Curtin Sarawak, Curtin University’s largest international campus in Malaysia, said the latest rankings are testimony of the high quality of Curtin’s engineering courses.

“As Curtin Sarawak offers the same courses as those at the main campus, we are very pleased that the university has achieved such outstanding rankings for its engineering courses. This augurs well for our Civil & Construction, Chemical, Environmental, Electrical Power, Electronic & Communication and Petroleum Engineering courses, in particular,” he remarked.

Courses at Curtin Sarawak are run using the same unit structures and study materials as the main campus and degrees earned are awarded directly by Curtin University. Consequently, it also provides an undifferentiated student learning experience and similar student learning support mechanisms, and students can transfer to Perth at any time to complete their degrees.

According to Professor Mienczakowski, Curtin University’s strong and well-respected engineering courses are core to Curtin Sarawak’s strengths. Studying the courses not only ensure graduates world-class Curtin degrees and the practical experience required to further their careers, but through professional accreditation of all the courses, recognition of their qualifications nationally and internationally.

He added that the quality is also apparent in Curtin’s achievement in another well-respected global subject ranking, the QS World University Ranking (QSWUR) by Subject. In the latest 2016 ranking, it has two subjects in the world’s top 50 and 12 other subjects in the top 200.

In addition, Curtin University is ranked in the top two per cent of universities worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). It also ranks highly in the QS World University Ranking (QSWUR) and Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THEWUR), and was awarded overall five stars in the 2015 QS Stars University Ratings.

In Malaysia, Curtin Sarawak holds Tier 5 or Excellent ratings from the Ministry of Higher Education for overall quality and its engineering programmes and it is one of only eight universities in Malaysia granted self-accrediting status.

Curtin University among the world’s top universities for engineering.