First time honours: Deakin cracks world's top 50 young universities

Deakin University has continued its climb up the Times Higher Education (THE) list of the world's top 100 universities under 50 years old, cracking the top 50 for the first time.

Deakin has been ranked number one in Victoria, number six in Australia and number 45 in the world.

The news confirms Deakin's rise in the ranks of the very best young universities worldwide, after prestigious international university rankings organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) last year listed Deakin at number 50 on its Top 50 under 50.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander said at only 40 years young, Deakin owed its continuing success to a strong vision for the future and its wonderful staff, researchers, students, communities and partners.

"In the past two years, Deakin has leapt 21 places from 66 to 45 in the list of the top 100 universities under 50 years old," Professor den Hollander said.

"Times Higher Education says younger universities are bullish and 'they have no fear of the future or of older rivals' – and I couldn't agree more.

"Deakin is ready to drive the innovation that will create the jobs of the future.

"Deakin has grown from Victoria's first regional university in 1974 to a thriving institution with more than 50,000 students from around the world, studying across campuses in Melbourne, Geelong, Warrnambool and online in the cloud.

"I expect Deakin to keep growing and as it does we will keep working to address skills gaps, to create new industries from new ideas, to educate graduates for the jobs of the future.

"This global recognition reflects the extraordinary achievements of Deakin in its first 40 years and it is exciting to imagine what we will achieve in the next 10, 20, and 30 years."

THE World University Rankings Editor Phil Baty said the prestigious ranking of dynamic young universities uses the same balanced blend of 13 rigorous performance indicators used to judge world class research universities in the overall world rankings.

"So the institutions in the top 100 list are being judged against tough and trusted international standards," Mr Baty said.

"By breaking into the top 50 for the first time this year, Deakin is showing clear evidence of continuing progress.

"Those who make the list have managed to make a big global impact in some key areas of teaching, research and knowledge transfer in competition against established, traditional institutions which have often had many centuries to accumulate wealth and reputation."

The Times Higher Education's top 100 universities under 50 years old measure universities on research, citations, teaching, international outlook and industry income.