State of Australian University Research 2018-19

This section presents the research quality results from ERA 2018. It summarises the ratings results for two- and four-digit Units of Evaluation (UoEs), and presents analyses that highlight areas of research excellence in Australia’s eligible institutions. The charts display the full array of results at the two- and four-digit level for assessed UoEs.

Note: RECs assign a rating to two- and four-digit UoEs where there is sufficient volume for an evaluation. The highest rating is a 5, i.e. the UoE is characterised by evidence of outstanding performance well above world standard presented by the suite of indicators used for evaluation. A rating of 1 is well below world standard (see ERA Rating Scale in the Introduction of this report for a full description of the rating scale).

Of the 1,923 four-digit UoEs that were rated during ERA 2018, 774 (40 per cent) attracted a rating of 5 (i.e. well above world standard). A further 553 (29 per cent) received a rating of 4 (above world standard) while 448 (23 per cent) were rated 3 (at world standard). Overall, 69 per cent of four-digit UoEs were rated above or well above world standard.

The number of assessed UoEs and the distribution of ratings among these UoEs varied by discipline. In absolute terms, 11 Medical and Health Sciences had the largest number of four-digit UoEs (320). The FoR 10 Technology had the fewest (24), but achieved excellent results with 22 rated above or well above world standard.