ANU climbs the global university rankings in key subjects

The Australian National University (ANU) has improved its reputation as a global leader of research and education, adding more subjects ranked in the top 50 in the competitive QS World University Rankings by Subject.

A total of 42 ANU subjects are now ranked among the world’s best, contributing another four with this prestigious status.

Among Australian universities, ANU is ranked first for Natural Sciences, second in Arts and Humanities and third in Social Sciences and Management.

These results are further reflected in the global rankings:

• Arts & Humanities (32nd)
• Natural Sciences (34th)
• Social Sciences and Management (36th)
• Engineering & Technology (76th)
• Life Sciences & Medicine (140th)

Within these broad subject areas, ANU has the highest number of subjects among Australian universities that scored in the top 20 globally:

• Philosophy (8th)
• Anthropology (9th)
• Archaeology (10th)
• Development Studies (10th)
• Politics & International Studies (11th)
• Geography (20th)

ANU Provost Professor Rebekah Brown said it’s a credit to all staff that the University is rising up the ranks among our peers in key subjects.

“ANU has consistently been named as one of the world’s top universities. We exist to provide truly transformational research and teaching. Our quality of engagement and collaboration drives innovations, policy insights and solutions to some of the world’s most complex problems,” Professor Brown said.

“We have some of the highest student experience outcome results in the country. We are very proud of our graduate outcome results and the career pathways for our graduates.”

Recent research highlights include:

• Scientists closer to engineering more resilient food crops
• Australia’s biggest killer: smoking causes 66 deaths every day and 24,000 a year
• Australia must urgently ramp up climate action following record-breaking year
• ANU part of new $US150M partnership with Rio Tinto to support global energy transition
• New marsquake data could help solve one of our solar system’s ‘biggest mysteries’

The global QS Subject Rankings compare the performance of 1700 universities in 100 locations around the world. The complete results for 2025 can be found on the QS World University Rankings by Subject site.