For the third year in a row, RMIT has ranked 1st in Australia for both Architecture/Built Environment and Art and Design in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Globally, RMIT rose to 15th in Architecture/Built Environment and equal 19th in Art & Design, securing its position as Australia's top institution for design and creative fields.
RMIT also ranked 1st in Australia and 29th globally in Library & Information Management, an interdisciplinary subject area that spans data science, knowledge management and information science.
RMIT Vice-Chancellor Professor Alec Cameron said the University's strong performance was driven by an increase in employer reputation, adding to already strong scores in academic reputation and research measures.
"Our performance is underpinned by a strong increase in employer reputation, highlighting the impact of RMIT's deep connections with industry and our focus on real-world experiences," Professor Cameron said. "Together they ensure our graduates are genuinely ready for work and able to make a meaningful contribution in their professions and across society."
Student success: real-world industry and global design experiences
Milly Clark completed her Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) at RMIT in 2025 and is now employed as a product designer at Moose Toys.
"My studies at RMIT were incredibly valuable because of the strong connection between education and industry," Milly said.
"Through opportunities like studying abroad at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and attending Milan Design Week through the Paul and Ian Howard Memorial Travel Scholarship, I was able to engage directly with leading designers and institutions.
"This combination of international experience and close collaboration with industry has been fundamental in shaping how I approach design."
In addition to its #1 rankings, RMIT:
- Entered the rankings for the first time for the subject Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, underscoring how RMIT's expertise keeps pace with emerging fields.
- Has eight subjects ranked in the top 100 globally, including Communication & Media Studies, Engineering (Civil and Structural), Materials Science, and Accounting & Finance.
- Has 19 subjects ranked in the top 200 globally, including Computer Science & Information Systems, which moved up 50 places, and Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing), sitting just outside the top 100.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject assesses the reputation and research activity of around 6,200 institutions around the world, of which only 1,912 receive a ranking across 55 subject areas. RMIT is ranked in 31 subjects.
Last year RMIT achieved excellent results in the QS World University Rankings 2026, ranking 125th globally and 10th in Australia.
We also secured a strong result in the QS World University Rankings Sustainability 2026, which measures how universities are tackling the world's biggest environmental, social and governance challenges, ranking equal 95th globally, and 10th in Australia.
RMIT also ranked 44th globally and 1st in Australia in the Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, which measure the extent to which universities involve two or more science disciplines in their research projects.
