IF you're concerned about your chances of getting a job after years of study, James Cook University is the place to enrol.

The Good Universities Guide 2009 edition has been released and details the campus ratings of tertiary institutions across Australia with JCU scoring four star ratings across four key areas.

The university rated well with four stars in Getting A Job, Positive Graduate Outcomes, Research Intensity,
Non-Government Earnings and scored five stars for Indigenous Participation.

Professor and deputy vice chancellor for Cairns and International Engagement Scott Bowman said he was pleased with the university’s performance despite privately-owned Bond University and the Queensland University of Technology having a higher rating among the state’s eight universities.

"We jumped from a two star rating in last year's guide to a four star with the positive graduate outcomes," Prof Bowman said.

He said the universities guide was an important resource for James Cook University.

"Domestic and international students look at this and it is treated like the bible," he said.

He said more students were going on to further study in research and master degrees.

"We're pleased that students are getting jobs and we're creating a brighter future for our students," he said.

The university was ranked in the top 500 universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2007, one of only 17 Australian universities listed in the ranking of world universities.

Meanwhile, four academics from the uni have won national awards – Dr Stephen Torre (School of Arts and Social Sciences), Prof Kim Usher and Dr Kim Foster (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Nutrition) and Dr Pauline Taylor (Education).

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