Wellington's Victoria University vice-chancellor Grant Guilford, centre, and senior academics lead the way down Lambton Quay at graduation.

New Zealand may be small, but its universities more than pull their weight in the world university rankings.

All eight New Zealand universities were ranked in the 2018 QS World University Rankings by subject, placing in the top 50 institutions for 32 subjects - compared with 28 in 2017.

QS World University Rankings, an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds, is considered an official measure of university ranking.

BEVAN READ/STUFF New Zealand's most-ranked universities were the University of Auckland and the University of Otago.

The rankings are based on academic reputation, research citations and impact, and employer reputation, gathering responses from more than 170,000 academics and 158,000 employers.

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HAMISH McNEILLY/STUFF The University of Otago secured five subjects in the top 50 worldwide.

Across 48 subjects in five subject areas, a total of 1130 institutions were ranked.

New Zealand's most-ranked universities were the University of Auckland and the University of Otago, which ranked in 40 disciplines and 33 disciplines respectively.

UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND

The University of Auckland ranked in the top 10 tertiary institutions for archaeology, and the top 20 for education, and anatomy and physiology.

Altogether, the university secured 18 spots in the top 50.

Its art and humanities department also received the highest faculty ranking for any university in the country.

University of Auckland vice-chancellor, professor Stuart McCutcheon, said the rankings cemented the university's status as the country's leading university.

"They show that we are more than holding our own internationally," he said.

"To have achieved this given the low levels of funding that New Zealand universities receive is testimony to the hard work of our excellent staff. There is no doubt at all of the calibre and comprehensive nature of our teaching and research. Our graduates and research outputs are effecting real change here and around the world."

AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (AUT)

AUT was ranked 35th in hospitality and leisure management, up from 45th last year, and 42nd in sports-related subjects.

UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO

The University of Waikato had 13 disciplines ranked in the top 300.

University of Waikato vice-chancellor, professor Neil Quigley, said the rankings reflected the university's growth in excellence, research and teaching.

"Yet another outstanding result is an accolade for our academics, who are carrying out groundbreaking research. It also acknowledges our innovative approach to education, and the very high regard employers have for our graduates," he said.

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON

Victoria University had 31 subjects internationally ranked, gaining 28th place for hospitality and leisure management and 38th for law.

It also ranked 40th for library and information management, 60th for arts and humanities, and 83rd for social sciences and management.

The results showed the university was in the top 1 per cent of universities in the world for 17 subjects.

The vice-chancellor, professor Grant Guilford, said the results were "further evidence of Victoria's standing as an internationally respected and globally ranked capital city university".

MASSEY UNIVERSITY

Massey University placed 22nd for agriculture and forestry, and 23rd for veterinary science.

UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY

The University of Canterbury was ranked in 22 subjects, scoring highest in civil engineering and geography.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

Lincoln University ranked 44th in agriculture and forestry, down from 39th last year.

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

The University of Otago secured five subjects in the top 50 worldwide, three of which improved their position from the previous year. The university had 33 subjects ranked in total.

Physical education was ranked 12th, dentistry 27th, archaeology 28th, anatomy and physiology 29th and development subjects 39th.

GLOBALLY

* Harvard University ranked at number one, top in 14 subjects

* The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked second, top in 12 subjects