Strong showing in QS 2025 Subject Rankings

Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland continues to demonstrate its academic excellence with a strong performance across a broad range of disciplines in the 2025 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject released on 12 March.

This year, the University of Auckland has five subjects in the Top 50 and an impressive 27 subjects in the Top 100, marking an increase of two subjects in the Top 100 compared to 2024.

Among the Top 50 subjects, the University has achieved notable success in Sports-related subjects and Archaeology, which are now ranked 24th and 27th, respectively. Education, regularly in the top 50, once again performs strongly, ranking =34.

This achievement highlights the University's commitment to fostering academic excellence and its potential to break those subjects and others into the Top 20 in the near future through targeted support and strategic initiatives.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater expressed pride in the University's achievements, stating, "Our performance in the QS 2025 Subject Rankings demonstrates the dedication and hard work of our staff as well as the receptiveness of their students to be taught in innovative ways.

“And with the opening of our new Hiwa Recreation Centre, we are confident that our Sports-related Subjects will continue to climb the rankings, reflecting our commitment to providing world-class education and recreation facilities for students."

The University has also improved its standing in four of the five broad subject areas, maintaining its position in the 92nd percentile and above in all areas. The strongest performances were seen in the Arts and Humanities along with Social Sciences and Management, where the University has outperformed its peers, including moving ahead of Monash University in Arts and Humanities.

The Vice-Chancellor added, "Our strong performance in Arts and Humanities is particularly noteworthy given the current challenges in research funding. This underscores our resilience and the high calibre of our academic community."

In 2025, the University has two new subjects in the Top 100: Mathematics, and Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies, and is newly ranked in Classics and Art History.

Looking ahead, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised the University's commitment to preparing students for the future workplace.

"We are dedicated to equipping our students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Our focus on innovative teaching and learning, combined with our strong research capabilities, ensures that our graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of the future."