Like America’s Ivy League or the United Kingdom’s Russell Group, Go8 Institutions are Australia’s top-ranking universities. More than two-thirds of all research undertaken in Australia comes out of this group of universities. Impressively, every Australian Nobel Prize laureate thus far has been affiliated with one of the Go8 universities! Founded in 1999, the Go8 is now home to Australia’s top-ranked institutions of higher learning. The eight-member group includes seven colleges that are ranked among the top 100 in the globe.
The meaning of the Go8 universities’ rankings has been called into question. There was a demand for a standardised international comparison scale because of the rising number of international students and the intensity of economic competitiveness throughout the world. In 2003, a response to this need emerged in the form of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). Now, there are numerous ranking systems utilised on a worldwide scale, each considering various criteria and outcomes to establish their rankings:
Using these objective metrics, the Academic Ranking of Globe Institutions (commonly known as the Shanghai Rankings) ranks universities throughout the world based on their research excellence.
QS World University Rankings, which debuted a year after the ARWU, are the only rankings system that includes subject-based rankings in addition to overall rankings for universities. QS Rankings, on the other hand, have been scrutinised for their emphasis on reputational surveys rather than the quality of supplied research. THE World University Rankings, published by Times Higher Education in 2010, is based on 13 hard data points and is independent of QS Rankings. It has been noted that the use of institutional income and citations in THE rankings might distort conclusions because of the large number of variables used.
Due to their high worldwide and national rankings, the Go8 receives 73% of Australia’s Category 1 funding each year, allowing them to allocate around $6 billion to research. They also grant half of all doctorates in Australia. If the resources and course specialisations of a Go8 University are a good fit for your interests and chosen field, then attending one of these universities is a terrific alternative for you.
Though they have a role, factors like a school’s rating and its ability to attract financial support should not be the sole determinants of your choice of higher education institution. In the end, it doesn’t matter what network an institution is a part of; what matters is that you take the time to identify the right one for you and your goals and objectives. Use this easy course search resource to discover the ideal match for you!
What are the other university networks in Australia?
The history of innovation, entrepreneurship and industry at Australian Technology Network dates back to its 1999 founding. Their five universities are responsible for teaching 17 per cent of all domestic and 16 per cent of all overseas students in Australia and pride themselves on generating job-ready graduates. As a means of improving the quality of higher education, Innovative Research Universities was founded in 2003. These seven universities are devoted to enhancing local and global communities via education, opportunities, and translational research.
The NUW Alliance is a partnership of four preeminent educational institutions in Australia, serving a total of 194,000 students over 37 campuses in New South Wales. Their main goal is to form large-scale partnerships that will have a positive effect on the people of New South Wales. As part of the Australian government’s regional emphasis on higher education, the Regional Universities Network was established in 2011.
There are three main goals that the seven universities are working towards in regard to regional higher education: advising on policy, bolstering the impact of regional universities, and ensuring the long-term viability of regional higher education institutions. The Sandstone Universities are a loose confederation of Australia’s founding institutions of higher learning. All six schools’ primary buildings are made of sandstone, which is where the name comes from.
To distinguish themselves from the Sandstone Universities, the three new institutions were given the moniker “Red Brick Universities,” a nod to the United Kingdom’s Red Brick Universities. Civic engagement is often a central goal for organisations like these. Gumtree Universities, or “Verdant Universities,” are a type of higher education institution established in the 1960s and 1970s. These schools have attractive vegetative campuses and are typically located near bushland and natural reserves.