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International University Rankings and the Race for World-Class Status Jürgen Enders Steinhardt Institute for Higher Education Policy New York University, February 3, 2011
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Overview Rankings and the creation of social order Setting the standards: What rankings measure Political and institutional responses The costs involved A forward look
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Creating social order Defining a field Belonging and distinction, rules and criteria Constituting an arena for boundary work Co-construction of authority in a multi-level, multi-actor game Constructing a quasi-market Reputation, money, and self-fulfilling prophecies
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What rankings measure...
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... What some of their biases are measurable results beauty contest insignificant differences research certain type of research output science, life science and related English language defined by disciplinary epistemic elite universities as a whole older, larger comprehensive universities
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Political responses Australian funding and evaluation reforms China’s 211 Project Finish mergers Germany’s excellence initiative
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Political responses “[…] While it has been suggested that “world- class universities” be built in Finland […] it has been overlooked that, strictly speaking, the only world-class university in Finland is the University of Helsinki” (Rector Niiniluoto, on the occasion of The University of Helsinki’s 367th Anniversary, March 26, 2007)
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Organizational responses
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NYU on Wikipedia NYU is ranked 22nd among the top universities in the world by Global University Ranking and as high as 29th in recent years by the Academic Ranking of World UniversitiesAcademic Ranking of World Universities NYU's individual schools are regularly ranked within the top 10 worldwide. NYU's philosophy department is ranked #1 among 50 philosophy departments in the English-speaking world. NYU is also ranked #1 in Italian, finance, mathematics, and theaterphilosophyfinance mathematicstheater The Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences is ranked #1 in applied mathematics in the U.S. NYU's Stern School of Business undergraduate program is ranked #5 by U.S. News and #12 by Business Week. According to data compiled by Forbes Magazine in 2008, NYU ranks 7th among universities that have produced the largest number of living billionairesCourant Institute of Mathematical SciencesStern School of BusinessBusiness WeekForbes Magazine
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Costs involved Financial waste Imitation of the best and standardization Subordination of other missions Neglect of wider purposes of higher education
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A forward look Can we turn back from rankings? What if rankings are here to stay? CHEPS-led network based in Europe wins tender to develop alternative global ranking field-based, multi-dimensional, adoptive criteria, grouping approach, research & teaching & knowledge translation
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