Jun 18, 2026 – 9.01amThe University of New South Wales has been crowned Australia’s No.1 higher education institution for the first time in an influential global ranking, taking over from the University of Melbourne, which fell out of the top 20 list after three years in the top spot.More than half of the 37 Australian universities included in the 2027 QS World University Rankings improved their position compared with last year, and nine posted a record high, but the rosy result was accompanied by a warning that further crackdowns on foreign students could come at the expense of the sector’s future success.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles