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Top 10 Australian universities for peace and law
An extensive ranking of 450 universities across the world has revealed Australia’s top 10 places to study law on international relations and policies on freedom.
Naomi Neilson
The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings, now in their second year, measured how a university has delivered on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It acts as a “blueprint” on which institutions are delivering a better and sustainable future.
One of the SDGs measures a university’s research on law and international relations, participation as government adviser and policies on academic freedom. The list included 453 universities in 75 countries, up from the 270 universities in 66 countries from 2019.
The University of Sydney topped the list in Australia and ranked 10th in the world, followed by Western Sydney University and Queensland University of Technology. Due to a major increase in the number of participants, the results were a big jump from 2019.
Peace and justice rankings (2020):
1. University of Sydney (10)*
2. Western Sydney University (19), up from fifth place in 2019
3. Queensland University of Technology (20), up from fourth in 2019
4. Victoria University (33)
5. Australian Catholic University (46), up from 101-200th in 2019
6. University of Wollongong (50), down from first in 2019
7. Central Queensland University (76), up from ninth in 2019
8. University of South Australia (82), down from seventh in 2019
9. University of Canberra (101-200)
10. University of Tasmania (101-200), down from eighth in 2019
*The world rankings are included beside the university in brackets
For universities ranked across all SDGs, but filtered by those that offer courses in law, all universities had a rise in the world rankings. The University of Sydney still tops the list as second in the world, followed by Western Sydney University and La Trobe University.
SDGs rankings (2020):
1. University of Sydney (2)
2. Western Sydney University (3)
3. La Trobe University (4)
4. Monash University (17)
5. University of Wollongong (31)
6. University of Newcastle (45)
7. University of Tasmania (47)
8. Deakin University (55)
9. UNSW Sydney (66)
10. Queensland University of Technology (70)
University of Sydney vice-chancellor and principal Dr Michael Spence said he was proud of the results: “The contribution universities make has never been more important.”
“With climate change, unprecedented bushfires and the coronavirus affecting us all – it’s our staff, along with students, who are working tirelessly with colleagues around the world, with industry, community and with government to solve these unprecedented challenges and I’m thrilled they have been recognised and acknowledged,” Dr Spence said.
Western Sydney University vice-chancellor and president, Professor Barney Glover AO, said institutions need to help drive social transformation.
“These results demonstrate Western Sydney University’s ongoing commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and our leading role when it comes to addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental, sustainability and equity issues,” he said.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
