The Rankings supplement
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023
A close look at the QS rankings process and what the data tells us about Higher Education.
By Dr Andrew MacFarlane
subject areas ranked
If the QS World University Ranking is the flagship of our fleet, then our Subject Ranking is the vast warehouse housing indispensable components.
We, at QS, are accustomed to announcing that each subsequent ranking we produce is the largest of its type to date. This year is no exception.
Here’s how deep our research goes: the ranking sits atop hundreds of thousands of responses from academics and employers worldwide, millions of research data points from Elsevier’s Scopus, and data on more than 15,000 degree programmes offered across 1594 institutions. Analysts, programmers, researchers, institutions, institutional support specialists and more come together to produce this ranking in a process lasting more than three months.
We are proud to rank 54 specific subject areas across all the major disciplines, as well as in the respective broad-faculty areas of Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, the Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and Management.
The process of choosing a university is different for each individual. For some, a clear calling in their youth to be a lawyer or doctor naturally leads them to a destination renowned for those fields. Others are less sure of the subject, but know they want to go to a world-class institution – and the subject choice follows. For some, it might be that they can only afford to study locally but need help in differentiating between those local options and what they offer, and for others they might have a yearning to pursue their dreams of moving to France and enjoying a new culture. Regardless of the motivation, the Subject Ranking ensures that prospective students from around the world have an up-to-date reflection of the subject quality around the world, and with millions of viewers to our topuniversities.com website each year, we continue to be the trusted source of this information.
This year, we expanded our methodology to include the International Research Network (IRN) into 17 of our subjects, all of which are in or aligned with the Sciences, where the volume of papers and citations is robust enough to warrant its inclusion. We will continue to review whether this – or other research metrics – can be brought into the social sciences and humanities. This metric has steadily gained traction and academic fans over the years, with its advocacy of cross-border research collaborations. When combined with the views of international academics and employers, it is clear that QS continues to push for international partnerships and of knowledge sharing. The problems facing the world today, across every discipline – social, technical, or otherwise – will not be solved in isolation
New entries across programs
We have also added three new subjects this year. The first of these, Data Science, is a signal that QS is responsive to emerging demands in the job sector. Data is becoming integral not only in the tech, but across all sectors, and graduates who feel as comfortable with Python as they do with Microsoft Word will undoubtedly put themselves in good stead. The second subject we added is Marketing, which until now has been subsumed by Business and Management. This is a thriving sector. Digital marketing is a highly popular career and universities are now increasingly offering marketing as a standalone subject. The third of the new subjects is History of Art. With more reputation data than ever, we were able to separate this subject from History and from Art & Design, ensuring that this interdisciplinary subject, which can count the Princess of Wales, Gwyneth Paltrow and Eddie Redmayne among its luminous alumni, receives the attention it deserves.
The US and the UK continue to appear in the majority of the subject Top 10s. This year, 769 institutions find themselves with entries in subject and faculty areas they have not previously achieved a ranking in. The United States, UK and China Mainland are the Top 3 countries volume of new program entries. China (Mainland) is also the top location for the number of new institutions ranked for the first time in our Subject Ranking, with 9 new institutions), followed by India (7), the UK (6) and Ukraine (6).
In contrast to our world and regional rankings, however, our Subject Ranking allows specialised institutions to shine and reveals some interesting trends. Take hospitality, for example, 7 out of the top 10 institutions are in Switzerland, which has become a globally renowned destination for those wishing to make their mark in the hospitality sector. In our new Data Science raking, 7 out of the top 10 are from the USA – which is perhaps unsurprising when you consider they are the world’s top spender on Research and Development as a percentage of their GDP, as well as being in the Top 5 for per-capita spends. Dentistry provides another interesting case of top performers. Unlike more generalised subjects, we see some lesser-known entries appearing in our top 10 – Academic Centre for Dentistry (Amsterdam), Tokyo Medical and Dentistry University, and Karolinska Institute – highlighting again the relevance and necessity of specialised institutions. Finally, in the humanities, the UK continues to leverage its strong history in this area along with its continued championing of The Arts, with the number one spots in: in Art & Design (Royal College of Art), History of Art (Royal College of Art), Architecture (The Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL), Archaeology (University of Cambridge) and Performing Arts (Royal College of Music).
Continuing with the humanities theme, a report last year in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences noted that humanities enrolments were declining worldwide. There have been alarming reports of whole subjects, or worse, departments, being culled from university campuses. The rise in popularity of STEM in Asia and MENA, combined with ever-intensifying job markets that push for data and technical skills, is undoubtedly part of this trend. QS is proud to support students pursuing these STEM courses, as evidenced by our new Data Science ranking. But we remain committed still to the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. Universities should recognise the essential need to train students in theory, debate, writing, and oratory, as we lose these skills at our peril. I will conclude by returning to the theme of internationalisation. If we look at the highest performers on average for the IRN indicator across subjects (with the caveat that I have removed countries with fewer than five institutions, to account for low-number effects), Europe shines brightly. France, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, and Portugal score most highly here. All EU nations, as well as having open borders physically, appear likewise to have far fewer research barriers than other regions.
When we look at reputation among global academics, we see Hong Kong, Sweden, the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands in the same top ranges by average scores. Hong Kong, of course, has been a historic melting pot of internationalization, and the others are, as before, European. As the number of international students continues to rise, what QS rankings continues to highlight it is that institutions who are international in their outlook, have a diverse range of programs, and have a globally recognised reputation will continue to attract and serve the student market well.
Essay
Riding the Wave of Technological Disruption:
Jobs to watch in 2030
By Reginald Singh
What types of jobs will people be holding by the year 2030? This question which seems like an interesting thought experiment could be one of the most difficult questions to answer today. According to a 2017 report by Dell Technologies, about 80% of jobs that will exist by 2030 are yet to be invented. Additionally, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that individuals could concurrently hold 8-10 jobs in the near future. Considering the global developments that have occurred in recent years, these forecasts are expected to come true much sooner than anticipated.
Today, we see job roles and industries that barely existed a decade ago. Smartphones were a luxury and not the necessity they are today, Facebook was at its prime, Instagram had not taken birth, and terms like AI and Metaverse were yet to enter the public zeitgeist. Fast forward to 2023, an astonishing rate of development has occurred and the rate of innovation is accelerating. So, what could the jobs of the future look like? What are these trends of today that will go on to define the ‘new jobs’ of tomorrow?
By observing the evolving trends in job markets worldwide and with AECC’s experience of nearly two decades in the international education sector, here are our predictions for the top 5 industries that will experience high job demands by 2030.
1. Healthcare
Healthcare has phenomenally benefitted from the explosion of technology in this century. Modern medicine has eradicated several diseases and developed vaccines for many, and life-saving medicines and methods are more accessible to common people now. Our increasing life expectancy worldwide is a testament to the success of the healthcare industry. So, what could the coming decade look like for this industry?
Unsurprisingly, healthcare is expected to grow manifold in the next decade with new technologies and an aging population driving the demand for healthcare services. The major areas in the industry that are expected to peak in this period are robotics, telemedicine, AI & ML assisted diagnosis, wearable tech and 3D printing, and EHR (Electronic Health Records).
Apart from the core roles like physician, surgeon and nurse, jobs and roles will be generated in research, management, logistics and marketing. The interesting point is that when the healthcare industry grows, it will positively reflect on supporting industries such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare jobs are expected to increase by 14% from 2019 to 2029 which means that the healthcare industry is expected to add 2.4 million jobs by 2029.
And here are the top 10 jobs in healthcare predicted to experience high demand by 2030.
- Registered Nurses (RNs)
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Physicians and Surgeons
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Home Health Aides
- Medical Assistants
- Physical Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
2. Technology
In this decade, technology will start to permeate much deeper into the lives of its consumers than ever before. We will leave more things to technology to care for if it doesn’t require a certain level of creativity and human intellect. Therefore, technology will be the most exciting space to watch out for, whether you’re a consumer or a creator.
A report by Deloitte also estimates that the number of jobs in the technology sector will increase by 11% by 2028, with the majority of job growth in software development, data analytics, and cybersecurity. In addition, there will be a significant demand for technology professionals with skills in data science, machine learning, and cloud computing with the rise of big data, IoT, and the need for more data-driven decision-making in businesses.
Based on the trends, these jobs in the tech industry are predicted to be in high demand in the next 10 years.
- Data Scientist
- Cloud Computing Engineer
- Software Developer
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Artificial Intelligence Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Network and Information Security Engineer
- Full Stack Developer
- DevOps Engineer
- Business Intelligence Analyst
3. Renewable Energy
The Guardian updated their Style Guide to address environmental crises in the world accurately. So, they no longer use “Climate Change”. Instead, they would be using “Climate Crisis or Emergency”. A simple change in the Style Guide, but with a profound and powerful impact that accurately depicts the crisis the world currently faces.
The quest for the next big source of fuel will gain pace in the near future, creating more jobs in research and manufacturing areas. By 2030, we might be running the world on a clean fuel reducing our carbon footprint and fighting climate change even stronger.
One of the latest reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) states that the renewable energy sector is expected to create up to 42 million jobs by 2050. This growth is driven by several factors, such as the falling cost of renewable energy technologies, government policies promoting clean energy, and the growing awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions.
Many new jobs are expected to arise in alternative energy spaces, particularly in solar and wind power. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of wind turbine service technicians is projected to grow by 57% from 2019 to 2029, and employment of solar photovoltaic installers is projected to grow by 63% from 2019 to 2029.
If you’re looking to enter the industry, it’s the right time and here is the list of 10 jobs in demand in the coming decade.
- Solar energy technicians
- Wind energy technicians
- Geothermal energy technicians
- Bioenergy technicians
- Energy auditors
- Energy efficiency analysts
- Energy storage technicians
- Renewable energy project managers
- Renewable energy consultants
- Electric vehicle technicians
4. Education
Education will be an exciting space to watch out for in this decade. Traditional teaching and learning models will continue to exist, but they will embrace technology to a vast extent to keep up with the changing times.
One significant learning from the pandemic is how most parts of the world could quickly switch to online learning at all levels of education. Data is a cheaper commodity today, enabling edtech players to reach every nook and corner of the globe.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report indicates that employment in the education industry will grow by 4% between 2020 and 2030. The most in-demand jobs in education will likely involve technology and data analysis, such as instructional designers, e-learning specialists, and edtech coordinators. Additionally, there will be an increasing need for teachers skilled in integrating technology into the classroom. Overall, technology has the potential to tremendously improve the education industry by making learning more accessible and personalised.
Here is our list of top 10 jobs teaching and non-teaching roles to experience high demand in this industry.
- Instructional designers
- E-learning specialists
- Edtech coordinators
- Data analysts
- Virtual and augmented reality specialists
- Online educators
- STEM education specialists
- Special education teachers
- Bilingual education teachers
- Educational consultants
5. Environmental Science
Conservation of our environment is more of a cause than a commercial function. The need to preserve the ecosystem through appropriate measures is a meaningful and exciting area of science. Looking at how the industry is shaping up, it’s pretty promising that anyone passionate about environmental science will have a promising career worldwide.
Technology will revolutionise this industry by making data collection and analysis more efficient and accurate. Machine learning and artificial intelligence advancements can also analyse large amounts of data and predict future environmental trends.
Regarding job demand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in environmental science and protection will grow by 8% between 2020 and 2030. Environmental science as an industry will generate new job roles in the future, and these are some of those jobs in the industry you can keep an eye on.
And, here are the top jobs of the future in this industry.
- Environmental scientists and specialists
- Renewable energy engineers and technologists
- Climate change analysts
- Environmental health and safety specialists
- Data analysts and GIS specialists
So, yes, these are our boldest predictions for 2030. As mentioned at the start, these are the predictions made based on the available data and studying the evolving trends amongst the student community globally. But, what can be said so sure about the future is these tools ease our life and improve the quality of our lives. We can leave mundane tasks to our computers to care for and focus on what seems more meaningful.
On the other hand, the future will also demand we rethink and relearn our skills, beliefs and lifestyle. We need to be prepared to face many drastic social and economic changes. However, if you’re a student now, here is some good news. Compared to the past, more exciting and creative jobs are being envisioned. Therefore it’s certainly possible for you to have a highly rewarding and lucrative career in an industry that genuinely excites you.