scholarly journals Welcome to the World Class University: Introduction

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sharon Rider ◽  
Michael A. Peters ◽  
Mats Hyvönen ◽  
Tina Besley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
World Class Universities

AbstractThe notion of World Class Universities, and the use of rankings in general, has been an object of study for decades. Perhaps the first major critical work was Ellen Hazelkorn’s Rankings and the reshaping of higher education: The battle for world-class excellence (2011). Just as the influence of rankings shows no sign of abating, neither does the impetus to provide practical proposals for how to use them to advantage, or, alternatively, to examine the sources and effects of the practices involved. Recent interventions belonging to the first category are Downing and Ganotice’s World university rankings and the future of higher education (2017), while Stack’s Global university rankings and the mediatization of higher education (2016) and Hazelkorn’s Global rankings and the geopolitics of higher education: Understanding the influence and impact of rankingson higher education, policyand society (2016) are notable examples of the latter. The essays presented in the present volume are intended to contribute to our understanding of the phenomenon, its causes and consequences by filling three functions: (i) to provide an updated analysis of current trends in rankings and an examination of recent data regarding World Class University (WCU) initiatives relevant to the form and content of higher education; (ii) to study these especially with an eye to particular ramifications for work on the shop floor, that is to say, for university teachers and students; (iii) to investigate possible future courses and alternative trajectories.

The Future of Indian Universities

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
The Future ◽  
Indian Higher Education ◽  
World Class ◽  
World Class Universities

The Indian higher education system commanded awe and respect in the ancient world. Important seats of learning like Nalanda and Takshashila attracted the best students and academics from across the globe. Unfortunately, over a period of time, our higher education system lost its global competitiveness. This is exemplified by the fact that not many Indian higher education institutions feature in the annual world university rankings like the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the QS World University Rankings. At the same time, India’s aspirations to establish world-class universities have never been greater. The book is a culmination of a range of ideas and perspectives that will shape India’s aspirations of building world-class universities through comparative and international dimensions. It is a recognition that the future of Indian universities and their ability to seek global excellence will depend on three critical paradigms: first is the need for creating a vision for higher education that will focus on research and knowledge creation, institutional excellence, and global benchmarking as the indicators for standard-setting; second, the need for pursuing substantial reforms relating to policy, regulation, and governance of higher education; and third is the need for investigating a paradigmatic shift for promoting interdisciplinarity in higher education with a stronger and deeper focus on the pedagogy of teaching and learning in different fields of inquiry. Through a series of contributions from noted academics and scholars from India and around the world, this book discusses these three strings of thought, to create higher education opportunities that will enable the future generations of students to pursue world-class education in world-class universities in India.

scholarly journals WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITIES COMO CONCEITO EM DISPUTA NA EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 582-598
Author(s):  
José Vieira de Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
World Class ◽  
Academic Ranking ◽  
World Class Universities

O artigo tem como objetivo analisar o conceito de world-class universities como objeto de disputa no competitivo campo da educação superior, partindo da premissa que no mundo globalizado sua origem e consolidação ocorrem tomando como referência básica padrões internacionais de qualidade. De natureza teórica, o trabalho problematiza a educação superior na economia do conhecimento, de maneira articulada à exploração de dados produzido pelos dois principais rankings que classificam essas universidades – Academic Ranking of World Universities e Times Higher Education World University Rankings – publicados, respectivamente, nos anos de 2019 e 2020. Conclui-se que o conceito desse novo modelo de universidade considera critérios e indicadores globais de qualidade, mas também a ação das demais universidades que fazem parte do campo da educação superior.  

World-Class Universities in East Asian Countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Futao Huang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
East Asian ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class ◽  
Fierce Competition ◽  
World Class Universities

Since the start of the 21st century, the building of world-class universities has been viewed as an important and relevant means to enhance the quality of teaching and research, governance and management arrangements, and further internationalization of higher education in a growing number of countries. It is increasingly conceived as a top priority and the primary foundation for restructuring and reforming various higher education systems, especially in several East Asian countries and societies. Through implementing top-down national strategies featuring a concentration of resources in selected institutions, several East Asian countries, and especially China, have successfully established research-oriented universities and driven the rise of these universities in global university rankings. Despite numerous challenges, in the context of increased international competition in higher education worldwide, development initiatives that seek to form world-class universities are becoming more common, and this is particularly evident in the fierce competition between Asian countries.

A Comparison of China’s “Ivy League” to Other Peer Groupings Through Global University Rankings

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 395-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Ivy League ◽  
Chinese Universities ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Higher Education Policies ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class

This article analyzes the People’s Republic of China’s elite-making higher education policies that began in the early 1990s, notably with the 211 Project and then 985 Project, which led to the formation of the C9 League, a group of nine leading institution’s dubbed China’s “Ivy League.” This elite grouping is compared with other Chinese universities in terms of global rankings from 2003 to 2015 to ascertain the separation by these top tiered institutions. Furthermore, the C9 League will be compared with other global elite coalitions in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom over the same period. University rankings, despite considerable criticism, have provided the Chinese leadership with key benchmarks for their vision of world-class higher education. This article finds that the C9 League has made some separation from other Chinese universities and has also caught up with its Western peers (notably passing Canada’s U15) in terms of international rankings.

Discourses on quality and quality assurance in higher education from the perspective of global university rankings

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maruša Hauptman Komotar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
International Studies ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
International Ranking ◽  
Global University

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how global university rankings interact with quality and quality assurance in higher education along the two lines of investigation, that is, from the perspective of their relationship with the concept of quality (assurance) and the development of quality assurance policies in higher education, with particular emphasis on accreditation as the prevalent quality assurance approach. Design/methodology/approach The paper firstly conceptualises quality and quality assurance in higher education and critically examines the methodological construction of the four selected world university rankings and their references to “quality”. On this basis, it answers the two “how” questions: How is the concept of quality (assurance) in higher education perceived by world university rankings and how do they interact with quality assurance and accreditation policies in higher education? Answers are provided through the analysis of different documentary sources, such as academic literature, glossaries, international studies, institutional strategies and other documents, with particular focus on official websites of international ranking systems and individual higher education institutions, media announcements, and so on. Findings The paper argues that given their quantitative orientation, it is quite problematic to perceive world university rankings as a means of assessing or assuring the institutional quality. Like (international) accreditations, they may foster vertical differentiation of higher education systems and institutions. Because of their predominant accountability purpose, they cannot encourage improvements in the quality of higher education institutions. Practical implications Research results are beneficial to different higher education stakeholders (e.g. policymakers, institutional leadership, academics and students), as they offer them a comprehensive view on rankings’ ability to assess, assure or improve the quality in higher education. Originality/value The existing research focuses principally either on interactions of global university rankings with the concept of quality or with processes of quality assurance in higher education. The comprehensive and detailed analysis of their relationship with both concepts thus adds value to the prevailing scholarly debates.

scholarly journals What Counts as World Class? Global University Rankings and Shifts in Institutional Strategies

2020 ◽  
pp. 171-196
Author(s):  
Tero Erkkilä ◽  
Ossi Piironen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Institutional Practices ◽  
European Universities ◽  
Regional Role ◽  
Global Comparison ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class ◽  
Institutional Strategies ◽  
And Shifts

AbstractGlobal university rankings have emerged as a benchmark of institutional success, setting standards for higher education policymaking and institutional practices. Nevertheless, only a marginal share of higher education institutions (HEI) are in a realistic position to be ranked as a ‘world-class’ institutions. In the European context, the global rankings have been used to highlight a performance gap between European and North American institutions. Here the focus has been on the HEIs in the top-100 positions, causing concerns over European higher education. This has also become a marker of world-class university. We analyze the strategies of 27 Northern European universities in different tiers to learn how they have adjusted to the reality of ranking. We conclude that the references to global rankings have increased between 2014 and 2018. At the same time, the references to rankings have become more implicit in nature. Nevertheless, we find that the discourse of global comparison and excellence has become more common in the strategies. There are also emerging references to the regional role of universities, which are apparent in the strategies of universities that are clearly outside the top-100 ranked institutions. However, this is also a reflection of the discourse of world-class university.

scholarly journals Review on the Impact of World Higher Education Rankings: Institutional Competitive Competence and Institutional Competence

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Zoljargal Dembereldorj
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Advanced Economy ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class ◽  
Higher Education Rankings ◽  
The Impact

This paper discusses the relevant literature on higher education rankings and its impact on higher education institutions across the globe. The literature suggests that global university rankings impact higher education institutions both in advanced economy and developing countries to build competence to race and exist. Universities in an advanced economy are building institutional competitive competence to race in the global university rankings under the umbrella term of ‘World Class University,’ whereas universities in developing countries are building institutional competence by pursuing to build research intensive universities. The essay argues that global university rankings are shaping the field of higher education institutions, and the capacity of resources dictates universities the type of competence to build to exist: institutional competitive competence and institutional competence.   

scholarly journals Have Academics’ Citation Patterns Changed in Response to the Rise of World University Rankings? A Test Using First-Citation Speeds

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9515
Author(s):  
Soo-Jeung Lee ◽  
Christian Schneijderberg ◽  
Yangson Kim ◽  
Isabel Steinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
Level Trigger ◽  
Higher Education Journals

Academics may actively respond to the expectations of the academic status market, which have largely been shaped by the World University Rankings (WURs). This study empirically examines how academics’ citation patterns have changed in response to the rise of an “evaluation environment” in academia. We regard the WURs to be a macro-level trigger for cementing a bibliometric-based evaluation environment in academia. Our analyses of citation patterns in papers published in two higher education journals explicitly considered three distinct periods: the pre-WURs (1990–2003), the period of WURs implementation (2004–2010), and the period of adaption to WURs (2011–2017). We applied the nonparametric Kaplan–Meier method to compare first-citation speeds of papers published across the three periods. We found that not only has first-citation speed become faster, but first-citation probability has also increased following the emergence of the WURs. Applying Cox proportional hazard models to first-citation probabilities, we identified journal impact factors and third-party funding as factors influencing first-citation probability, while other author- and paper-related factors showed limited effects. We also found that the general effects of different factors on first-citation speeds have changed with the emergence of the WURs. The findings expand our understanding of the citation patterns of academics in the rise of WURs and provide practical grounds for research policy as well as higher education policy.

scholarly journals University rankings game and its relation to GDP per capita and GDP growth

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Clifford Tan Kuan Lu
Keyword(s):  
Gdp Per Capita ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Institutional Factor ◽  
Pronounced Increase ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Global University ◽  
World Class ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
World Class Universities

In this study, the term ‘World-Class Universities per capita’ or ‘WCUs per capita’ is created and defined as the number of world-class universities available in a country divided by its population. To date, it is known that global university rankings are solely the numerical measures of world-class universities. ARWU is chosen as the benchmark of wold-class universities (WCUs) among the university ranking methodologies available based on the assumption that universities listed under Top 500 are WCUs. Simple regression analysis is carried out to determine the correlation between WCUs per capita and GDP per capita as well as GDP growth. The results show that WCUs per capita is strongly correlated to the nation’s GDP per capita. However, the WCUs per capita has an insignificant effect on GDP growth. There is a pronounced increase in significance level when the ranking lists are expanded from the Top 100 to Top 500. This suggests that it is crucial for a nation to increase the number of WCUs (listed in the Top 500) in order to attain a higher GDP per capita, rather than having a few elite WCUs in the Top 100. In addition, ‘freedom from corruption’ is the most significant institutional factor when institutional factors are added into the regression model, followed by ‘property rights’, ‘business freedom’ and ‘investment freedom’.

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