University of Waikato moves up 135 places in rankings since 2014

Senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Alister Jones (from left), chancellor Jim Bolger and vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley outside the University of Waikato's Tauranga campus. Photo / File

For the sixth year running, the University of Waikato has climbed up the ladder to place in the top 30 per cent of institutes worldwide.

The university now sits at 266 out of 1000 institutions worldwide in the QS World University Rankings - eight places ahead of last year's ranking.

Vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said he was proud to achieve a sixth consecutive jump.

"This is a huge accomplishment for the university and something we can all be enormously proud to have achieved."

Since 2014, the University of Waikato has moved up 135 places in the rankings.

Uinversity of Waikato rankings since 2014. Image / Supplied

Quigley said "citations per faculty member" was the indicator in the rankings for which the University of Waikato was strongest.

"We now rank 72nd globally for citations per faculty member, which is in the top 5 per cent of all ranked institutions.

"This is up from 92nd place last year."

What this means is that the papers the university's academics publish are cited by other researchers around the world at a very high rate.

"This is a specific, indisputable measure of the quality, international standing and impact of the research taking place by faculty members at our Hamilton and Tauranga campuses," Quigley said.

This year the University of Waikato opened a campus in the heart of Tauranga.

The $60 million building is now home to 900 students and more than 90 staff.

University of Waikato Campus on Durham St in Tauranga CBD. Photo / File

The university's freshwater, coastal marine and urban ecosystem restoration research are what Quigley believes are examples of the institution's many internationally renowned programmes of research excellence.

"The University of Waikato's international standing in these research fields began around 50 years ago when we started a research programme aimed at restoring Hamilton's freshwater assets.

"Throughout the past five decades, teams have extended this research into coastal and marine and urban ecosystems."

About 100 students each year were now involved in the research in both the Tauranga and Hamilton campuses.

Quigley said the university worked hard to increase its ranking and aimed to continue on an upward trajectory.

"We've climbed the QS World University Rankings for six years straight and will work toward another positive jump next year.

"In addition to pointing out where we excel, the rankings also highlight areas where we can improve, such as recognition by employers."

Established in 1964, the University of Waikato is New Zealand's fifth largest university.

In 2017 it opened a joint institute in Hangzhou, China, becoming the first New Zealand university to deliver full degree programmes in China.