VC column: CQUniversity celebrates
Column piece published in CQToday by Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Nick Klomp
We’ve had plenty to celebrate at CQUniversity of late and it gives me even more pride to lead this wonderful institution.
In June, CQUniversity achieved its highest ever result in the global university ranking system that assesses the performance of institutions against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024.
To rank equal 52nd in the world (up from 74th position in 2023) is a tremendous achievement that I am very proud of – even more so because our new strategic plan is completely informed by the UN SDGs.
It was also an honour to be recognised as the top-ranked university in Australia for Quality Education in the same rankings. This accolade reflects our unwavering dedication to provide accessible, high-quality education to all, regardless of their background or physical location. It is a testament to our innovative teaching methods, dedicated staff and our relentless pursuit of educational excellence.
In another significant milestone, our nursing course leapt into the QS World University Subject Rankings for the first time, placing CQUniversity in the top 200 globally in 2024. This achievement highlights the exceptional quality of our nursing program, which equips graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. We already knew our nursing graduates were among the very best, but receiving such recognition shows that our learning and teaching in this space is delivering our local health workforces with world-class, skilled professionals.
We have also had a number of other rankings successes this year, but in lieu of listing them all out, I’d like to take a moment to recognise and congratulate the amazing people at CQUniversity whose incredible work made these successes possible. From our professional staff to our academics, researchers and my executive team – thank you for your hard work and commitment to ensuring that CQUniversity continues to support our students and communities.
On another note, I would also like to acknowledge our alumni and student athletes that have participated in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. We’ve been watching with great pride as you each competed in your respective sports. From those who have taken home medals to those who simply made it that far, your dedication and hard work has been remarkable and inspiring- congratulations on your achievements!
Before closing, it was very pleasing to receive the news from the Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) that CQUniversity has secured a $61.1 million election commitment to complete the CQ TAFE Centre of Excellence in its entirety. This vital project will significantly enhance our vocational education and training facilities, providing state-of-the-art resources to our students and the wider community. I look forward to working with the Labor Pary to seek bipartisan support for this very important project.
