Massey’s communication programme ranked best in NZ

Massey University’s communication programme has climbed significantly in the most recently-published Shanghai Rankings. 

The consultancy’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2019 has named Massey the best in New Zealand for communication, and in the top 150 globally. This is a significant shift up from the 151-200 bracket in 2018.

Head of the Massey Business School Professor Stephen Kelly says he is immensely proud of the work the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing has done to develop its programmes in recent years.

“Our Bachelor of Communication is unique because it requires students to take courses from both business and arts,” Professor Kelly says. “We are also the only school in the Asia-Pacific region to secure ACEMJC accreditation for four Bachelor of Communication majors and our postgraduate journalism programmes.”

The US-based Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) accreditation is highly sought after and reflects the school’s strong leadership, large research output, good connections with industry and its commitment to constant improvement.

Good communication skills should be at the core of any tertiary education, Professor Kelly says. 

“Preparing students for a job is no longer enough. What’s more important is that graduates develop the skills to ensure life-long success in an environment that is constantly changing,” he says.

“Part of the answer lies with developing some very fundamental skills, including critical thinking and the ability to formulate and communicate creative solutions, so we are very pleased that Massey’s communication researchers have been recognised for the quality and impact of their work.” 

The rankings analyse 4000 universities and look at a collection of indicators, including measures of research productivity, research quality, extent of international collaboration and the highest academic recognitions.

Massey’s other top 200 Shanghai Rankings for 2019:

• Food Science and Technology – ranked 41 in the world and second in New Zealand.
• Veterinary Sciences – ranked 46 in the world and first in New Zealand.
• Business Administration – top 150 globally and first in New Zealand.
• Agricultural Sciences – top 200 and first in New Zealand.
• Finance – top 200 and equal first in New Zealand.