26 September 2011
International star power
RMIT University has scored the top ranking - five stars - in a new system judging excellence in higher education.
RMIT's electric car - engineering and technology is one of the University's five-star strengths. Photo: RMIT Electric Racing.
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QS Stars is an evaluation system run by Quacquarelli Symonds, the group behind one of the highest-regarded world university rankings.
Universities are awarded an overall rating of one to five stars, based on research quality, teaching quality, graduate employability, infrastructure, internationalisation, innovation and knowledge transfer, third mission and specialist subject criteria.
QS said five-star universities were generally world-class in a broad range of areas, enjoyed a high reputation and had cutting-edge facilities and internationally renowned research and teaching staff.
RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, said: "I am delighted that this University achieved the maximum score for the employability of our graduates, for teaching, infrastructure and internationalisation, and for engineering and technology.
"These results confirm RMIT's position as a global university of technology and design.
"They reflect the recent QS World University Rankings, which showed that global employers have a strong preference for RMIT graduates, with the University's ranking among employers rising from 76th to 51st.
"They also reflect the University's $600 million investment in environmentally friendly buildings to provide the best setting for our learning and teaching, and research."
QS said the Stars rating system would give prospective students a deeper insight, enabling them to see beyond the headlines and identify areas of excellence.
