The Present Situation: Global university rankings have become increasingly influential in the field of higher education worldwide over the last twenty years. Nations like China, Japan, and Russia have made substantial investments to elevate their universities’ positions to achieve a “world-class” status defined by these rankings. While this endeavor has granted significant political leverage, some universities have chosen to abstain from participating in these ranking systems due to concerns regarding the inherent motivations and their alignment with the institutions’ objectives. Amidst these discussions, the attention has shifted away from crucial issues concerning the practices of the ranking organizations, particularly conflicts of interest and data ownership.
The Significance of Ranking Systems
Currently, well-known ranking systems such as Times Higher Education (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), and U.S. News & World Report hold substantial influence in shaping educational policies and priorities globally. These systems assess higher education institutions based on various criteria including teaching quality, research productivity, reputation, industry partnerships, and international collaborations. Despite the intricacies and nuances of these evaluations, the rankings simplify the assessment by consolidating performance metrics into overall scores.
Flaws in Ranking Systems
In a study conducted by Elizabeth Gadd from Loughborough University, the race for higher university rankings is likened to an imperfect pursuit similar to using Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the sole indicator of a country’s prosperity. Analogous to the critiques of GDP by economists like Stiglitz, Sen, and Fitoussi, university rankings oversimplify the multifaceted roles institutions play in society into a singular, one-dimensional measure. Notably, top-ranked universities often share common traits such as age, size, financial resources, research intensity, emphasis on scientific disciplines, use of English language, and location in the Global North. Scores for research excellence, heavily influenced by factors like citations and reputation, can significantly impact a university’s ranking.
Issues with Conflicts of Interest
Many ranking bodies function as private enterprises, leading to situations where they collaborate with universities to boost their rankings. For instance, a study on the University of California, Berkeley, underscored the effects of partnerships with ranking agencies on enhancing rankings and faculty-student ratio assessments. Some institutions have distanced themselves from traditional ranking systems due to conflicts between the desired career trajectories for students and the incentives promoted by the rankings.
Data Protection Concerns
In addition to conflicts of interest, the issue of data security also demands scrutiny. Universities participating in ranking assessments often provide ranking agencies with unrestricted access to their data, raising apprehensions about data confidentiality and security. Terms and conditions outlined by ranking platforms may contain clauses that confer perpetual rights to utilize and modify institutional data without explicit consent, posing risks to sensitive information.
In summary, while rankings can stimulate enhancements in university standards, there is a growing recognition of the adverse effects and distorted motivations linked with these systems. It is imperative for institutions to carefully assess the trade-offs involved in engaging in ranking evaluations to protect their interests and data confidentiality.
Moumita Koley, an STI Policy Researcher at DST-CPR, IISc, and consultant at the International Science Council.