CQU SPORT rockets up global rankings
A global leaderboard of sport-smart universities has put CQUniversity in the top 50 worldwide.
The ShanghaiRanking’s 2025 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments put CQUniversity at 42 in the world, an athletic leap from its 2024 position of 151-200.
Professor Fabio Serpiello is CQUniversity’s Director of Sport Strategy and said the latest ranking recognised CQUniversity’s unique and diverse expertise in movement-related disciplines.
“This result recognises five years of work partnering with local, national and international bodies, and ensuring maximum impact of our world-class sport, exercise, physical activity and rehabilitation research,” Prof Serpiello said.
“The ranking highlights the global reach of our work, improving elite performance, and community health and wellbeing through SPORT (Sport and exercise, Physical activity, Occupational and Rehabilitation Therapies), across education, training, research and partnerships.”
Last year, CQUniversity launched its SPORT Strategy 2025-2028, to grow sporting participation, passion and knowledge across regional communities and into peak performance.
The strategy highlights how CQU leads in SPORT across education, training, research and partnerships.
It also commits to collaborate with grassroots, government and industry partners for high performance and community engagement outcomes - as Australia prepares to host the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
Recently, CQUniversity has also:
- Developed the world-leading Parenthood Recommendations with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), a research-informed best-practice approach to support athletes from preconception through to parenthood
- Partnered with Cricket Australia to give a cutting-edge advantage in fielding, with real-time monitoring of fielding positions to maximise tactical advantage and strategic responses
- Supported students and staff to compete nationally and internationally across a wide range of sports, through its Elite Sportspeople and Performers program, and membership of the AIS Elite Sport Education Network (ESEN).
The latest ShanghaiRanking results also put CQU at ninth in Australia, fourth in Queensland, and first among Australia’s regional universities.
“The 2025 ShanghaiRanking result points to the closer collaboration between CQU departments and divisions - and highlights the importance of the contributions from all staff and students,” Prof Serpiello said.
“I congratulate all colleagues whose work in the past five years has contributed to this great achievement.”
Learn more at the SPORT at CQUniversity website.
