Investor Updates
Australia tops Asia-Pacific for earth and environmental sciences
3 April 2013
Australia tops the Asia-Pacific for research into earth and environmental sciences, according to Nature Publishing Index (NPI)’s 2012 Asia-Pacific rankings.
The latest NPI rankings put Australia in third position behind Japan (1st) and China (2nd) in overall rankings for high quality basic research in the life sciences, physical and chemical sciences.
The region's scientists are publishing more high quality basic science than ever before, according to the NPI.
Australia expanded its lead on South Korea in fourth place. ‘The high output of Australia’s researchers is keeping the nation secure in third place’, said Nature Publishing.
Australia’s top institution, the University of Melbourne, rose to sixth in the Asia-Pacific region.
The big improver in this year’s rankings was James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville, which ranked fifth nationally, rising from 58th in Australia in 2009 and tenth last year.
During this period, JCU published several articles on the effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef, contributing significantly to Australia’s earth and environmental sciences publication output.
The NPI ranking builds on Australia’s strong track record, research capabilities and commitment to world-class innovation.
Australia is home to 19 of the world’s top 500 universities, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012-13.
More than half of Australia’s public universities rank in the top 500 and six are in the top 100, positioning Australia fourth globally, according to the 2012 Academic Ranking of World Universities.
The NPI report on Australia and rankings for Australian research institutions are also available.
Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a publisher of high impact scientific and medical information in print and online.
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