ERA 2015 ratings validate research quality

Deakin University’s research in humanities, education, economics, and social sciences has received solid endorsement from the 2015 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) ratings, announced today.

The ratings identify research excellence within Australia’s higher education institutions, against national and international benchmarks.

Within the Deakin theme of “Advancing Society and Culture,” three of Deakin’s fields of research are rated 4 “Above World Standard,” and fifteen rated 3 “World Standard.”

“This is recognition for our researchers in these disciplines, who are making a difference across the social and cultural sphere,” said Deakin University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Lee Astheimer.

Supported by the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI) and two Strategic Research Centres, Deakin researchers are advancing global understanding within fields such as education, economics, commerce, history and philosophy.

The University has a strong focus on contemporary histories, heritage, society and international development – seeking to advance the theoretical and practical development of intercultural relations, migration, racism, democracy, politics and governance, as concepts within the field of citizenship and globalisation studies.

Deakin is also an Australian research hub for Middle East cultural and political issues and recently created a Chair in Islamic Studies and Intercultural Dialogue, as well as leading the Australian Intervention Support Hub – a new national centre that aims to counter radicalisation and violent extremism.

In education, researchers are focussing on equipping young people and adults to live in a globalised, digital world by informing policy across all educational sectors through developing partnerships, transforming pedagogies and working toward achieving equity and social justice.

Education researchers are also helping to lead a major national program that aims to increase the study of science and technology in secondary education, which has been identified as vital for the future competitiveness of Australia.

Across the Asia-Pacific, projects range from identifying strategies to improve equity for children and adults with disability, to building “Asia Literacy,” to close involvement in the UN’s annual economic and social index for all countries within the region.

Deakin is also pioneering Australian research in the new field of applied financial econometrics, which merges the disciplines of finance and econometrics - and is bringing new theory, tools and ways of analysing data to contemporary problems.

2015 ERA ratings - Advancing Society and Culture:

Above world standard (ERA rating 4): Specialist Studies In Education; Economic Theory; and Historical Studies.

At world standard (ERA rating 3): Education Systems; Curriculum and Pedagogy; Applied Economics; Banking, Finance and Investment; Commercial Services; Marketing; Criminology; Sociology; Film, Television and Digital Media; Performing Arts and Creative Writing; Communication and Media Studies; Literary Studies; Curatorial and Related Studies; History and Philosophy of Specific Fields; and Philosophy.

For more information on Deakin's ERA results within our other research themes:

• Improving Health and Wellbeing
• Designing Smarter Technologies
• Enabling a Sustainable World