The main international university rankings are too focussed on research and provide an oversimplified picture of institutional mission, quality and performance, according to a review of rankings carried out by the European University Association (EUA).
The benefits rankings offer, be it through fostering accountability or encouraging the collection of more reliable data, are outweighed by a lack of transparency and by what the EUA terms their “unwanted consequences”. These include a growing tendency for universities to invest in activities that will improve their position in the rankings, rather than in core areas such as teaching and learning, says the review, “Global university rankings and their impact.”
The review was commissioned by the EUA - an organisation representing 850 universities in 47 European countries - as a response to the recent growth in international and national rankings, and questions from members seeking information and advice on rankings. The report does not aim to rank the different university league tables, but rather analyses the methodologies used and considers a number of other ongoing projects that are seeking to measure university performance.
Whatever their shortcomings, rankings are here to stay, as the report acknowledges, quoting a recent European Commission report, which claimed they, “Enjoy a high level of acceptance among stakeholders and the wider public because of their simplicity and consumer type information.”
And, predicts the report, the inevitable rise in the number of rankings in the future, means it is vital for universities and different stakeholders to be aware of the degree to which rankings are transparent, and from a user’s perspective, of the relationship between what it is stated is being measured and what is in fact being measured, how the scores are calculated and, even more importantly what they mean.
The report also points out that international rankings in their present form only cover a very small percentage of the world’s estimated 17,000 universities, somewhere between 1 - and 3 per cent, completely ignoring the rest.
Looking to the future, the EUA says it should be possible to “democratise” rankings to allow more institutions to find their place. Including more universities could be seen as a way of, “Recognising the important contribution of those well-functioning institutions that suffer from the unwanted consequences of rankings.”
There is clear evidence that attempts to measure the quality of teaching and learning that involve the use of proxies - often with a very indirect link to teaching quality - are rarely effective. Meanwhile the importance of links to external stakeholders and an institution’s hinterland are largely ignored.
Recent European initiatives aim to broaden the focus of rankings to cover the broader missions of the university. In order for these to be successful, however, internationally comparative data is needed and this is proving difficult to acquire.
Looking on the bright side, the report points to some positive aspects of rankings, pointing out the way in which they have focused attention on higher education, and have helped to foster greater accountability, created pressure to improve management practices, and at national level also can foster the collection of more reliable data.
http://www.eua.be/pubs/Global_University_Rankings_and_Their_Impact.pdf
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