UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS

International Rankings of Universities



International Rankings of Universities

Introduction

Each year, the rankings of universities are the headlines, prompting a real interest among students, schools, employers and policy makers. They are respected or more frequently criticized; these rankings have an impact on our perception of higher education institutions.

Are International rankings of universities, an excellent tools comparison? Are the criteria chosen for these rankings relevant? What is the impact of these rankings on university policies? These questions were at the heart of the debates of this international forum, organized by UNESCO, the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the presence of the international association of universities, representatives ministries of higher education around the world, and leaders of the greatest rankings (Times Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong rankings, QS World University Rankings...).

Discussion

All used first as information tools for students, international rankings of universities were soon regarded as measures of quality of education, which has generated intense competition among institutions. No wonder this! In a globalized world, higher education is no exception to the rule of international competition. Globally, the mobility of students experiencing a dramatic increase (3.3 million in 2009) and universities compete to attract the best. Mobility patterns tend to move towards emerging countries (China, India ...) at the expense of North America and Western Europe, until now the premier destinations. This context does not fail to influence the decisions of university officials and policies (Richard 2007, 245).

Thus, Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, said that “the rise of rating systems reflects the profound trends taking place in higher education around the world, the landscape is transformed before our eyes ... and people are obsessed with one hundred establishments in 15,000 worldwide, less than 1%”.

Advocating university rankings more balanced Bokova said that “comparisons between universities tend ...