Australia’s National U is Country's Best University

A new list of world university rankings for 2011-2012 released by QS World University Rankings has ranked the Australian National University (ANU) as Australia's best university, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the world's best.

A public university located in Canberra and one of the world's most highly regarded universities, ANU inched two spots up to land on the number 24^th slot in this year's best university tally.

Margaret Harding, ANU deputy vice-chancellor, said they rejoiced over the result, noting the university's current standing was a testimony to the institution's continued high-quality research and teaching. In August, the university jumped six places in the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Out of the 39 Australian universities included in the list, which tallied 500, ANU was at 64^th.

"The results are a cause for pride across the whole university community, and a direct endorsement of the work and commitment of all ANU staff," she said in a statement.

Other Australian educational institutions included in the list were the University of Melbourne at 36^th, down five places from its year ago ranking, the University of Sydney at 39^th, the University of Queensland at 46^th, the University of New South Wales at 52^nd, the Monash University at 61^st, the University of Western Australia at 79^th, the University of Adelaide at 102^nd and Newcastle University at 126^th.

Based on academic reputation, employer reputation, staff-student ratios, citations per faculty, international faculty and international students, the QS rankings take into consideration replies and reactions from 46,000 academics and 25,000 employers around the world.

The world's best university title, meanwhile, was given to the US's Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Others comprising the top ten league table for 2011-12 were UK's Cambridge and Harvard University at 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively. Fourth was the University College London (UCL), University of Oxford at 5^th, Imperial College London at 6^th, Yale University at 7^th, University of Chicago at 8^th, Princeton University at 9^th and California Institute of Technology at 10^th.