Stillwater, Oklahoma--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2024) - Oklahoma State University has earned a 5 Star rating in the latest QS Stars ratings, announced by higher education analyst QS - Quacquarelli Symonds.
This achievement recognizes OSU as a world-class institution for its excellence in the required categories: teaching, employability and internationalization.
"I am pleased that QS Stars ratings recognized OSU's excellence across the board, reflecting the university's commitment to its land-grant mission and service to the state of Oklahoma and the world," said OSU Provost and Senior Vice President Jeanette Mendez. "The five-star ratings for teaching and research demonstrate OSU's continued success in these crucial areas, and I am delighted that QS Stars recognized OSU's dedication to workforce preparation and international programs that bring people from all over the world to the university and offer global opportunities to OSU students."
The QS Stars university rating system is an internationally recognized mark of quality, which provides a comprehensive framework to rate and compare universities' performance across a broad spectrum of criteria.
Universities undergo evaluation in 14 possible categories. QS notes institutions awarded with a 5 Star rating have strong international reputations and cutting-edge facilities, helping them undertake complex research projects of great importance at national and international levels. They possess a highly qualified faculty with staff from across the world.
OSU earned a 5 Star rating in the learning environment category, which was evaluated based on teaching indicators like faculty-student ratio, student satisfaction, retention rates and learning management system effectiveness. They also assessed sports facilities, library resources, campus amenities, medical services and student society availability.
QS Stars evaluated employability through aspects such as employer reputation, graduate employment rate, employability outcomes, alumni impact, career support, apprenticeships and internships, giving OSU a 5 Star rating.
As a complex, multi-campus R1 research university, OSU's faculty participate in groundbreaking research that makes an impact a worldwide. QS measured OSU's research quality papers per faculty, citations per paper, research funds and academic reputation and awarded a 5 Star rating.
In terms of new grant dollars awarded, three-fourths of the way into FY2024, OSU has nearly matched the entirety of FY2023. To be specific, new grant dollars awarded as of March 31, $70.9M, came to 96.3% of FY2023's full-year total, $73.6M.
OSU was also recognized with a 5 Star rating for its prioritization of sustainability in teaching and research.
"OSU researchers are at the cutting edge of fields as diverse as how parasitoid wasps affect wheat yield, how parents and infants coordinate their actual brain waves, all the way to determining which microorganisms in the human gut protect us from diseases," said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU vice president for research. "The common denominator is simple: impact. Our researchers get their findings out to the professional world and to the public to help solve real-world problems. The 5 Star research rating from QS Stars is a great validation of what we all know - OSU is a truly great research university."
Another 5 Star rating came in the elective category of innovation assessed institutions for their innovation by having unique patents, number of spin-off companies and publication of industrial research.
The Innovation Foundation at OSU launched last fall with a vision to expand applied research and technology commercialization through the 678-acre collaborative research park in southwest Stillwater.
With institutes such as the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, Hamm Institute for American Energy, Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, and partner institutes like National Center for Wellness & Recovery, the Innovation Foundation is translating innovative applied research into products and services.
"Receiving a prestigious 5 Star rating from the QS Stars global university rating system is a testament to OSU's unwavering commitment excellence," said Elizabeth Pollard, CEO of The Innovation Foundation at OSU. "This recognition underscores our dedication to fostering innovation across all facets of our institution, from cutting-edge applied research to transformative education initiatives. It's a proud moment for our university and reaffirms our position as a global leader in driving impactful change through innovation."
OSU earned a 5 Star rating in the internationalization category, which assessed the institution's international student and staff population, the diversity of nationalities among students, and the extent of its global university partnerships.
OSU hosts students from over 100 countries and all 50 states. In 2023, the university established its sole international office, OSU-Mexico, serving as a central hub for exchange programs, recruitment, study abroad initiatives, and partnership building.
"We are pleased that the progress we have made in strengthening the international engagement at OSU has been recognized in this latest assessment, as the rating helps to document the profound impact of our internationally engaged faculty, students and alumni," said Dr. Randy Kluver, OSU Global dean. "The international focus of the university improves the quality of educational experience for all of our students, domestic and international."
In addition to the mandatory categories, OSU entered veterinary science for evaluation in the specialist category, which received a 5 Star rating. This assessment focused on excellence within the subject area and recognized international or national accreditations. The OSU College of Veterinary Medicine is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education and the diagnostic laboratory has several accreditations and partnerships.
"The international involvement of our college is far reaching and continues to grow more and more each year," said Dr. Carlos Risco, OSU CVM dean. "We are proud of this recognition and excited to continue to strengthen our relationships around the world to enhance the future of veterinary medicine on a global scale.
Official ratings at a glance:
- Teaching: 5 Stars
- Employability: 5 Stars
- Research: 5 Stars
- Internationalization: 5 Stars
- Facilities: 5 Stars
- Innovation: 5 Stars
- Inclusiveness: 5 Stars
- Specialist Criteria: Veterinary Science, 5 Star
MEDIA CONTACT: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University is a premier land-grant university that prepares students for success. Through teaching, research and Extension, OSU engages communities and empowers servant-leaders to meet society's most pressing challenges. OSU is the largest university system in Oklahoma and has more than 34,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and more than 125 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 280,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation and the world.
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