Ranking - New Developments in Europe

Gero FederkeilCHE – Centre for Higher Education Development

The 3rd International Symposium on University RankingsLeiden, 6-7 February 2009

23rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Recent trends in

1.National rankings

2. International Rankings European Global

Presentation

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I. National Rankings in Europe

14 countries

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Purpose of most national rankings: information for (prospective) students

Focus on teaching & learning in most rankings

Some specialised rankings:– e.g. CHE Rating: employability in Bachelor-programmes

Done by different types of institutions:– media (e.g. France, Italy, UK, Germany)– independent organisations (e.g. Perspektywy - Poland;

CHE - Germany; studiekeuze123 - NL)

I. National Rankings in Europe

53rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Growing demand for Europe-wide information about HEIs (European higher education area)

Rankings should refer to defined „markets“ (target groups, types of institutions, regions)

Regional extension of (originally) national CHE ranking:– Austria, Switzerland– Netherlands (2009: most universities)– individual institutions in other countries that are of

special interest for German (speaking) students• i.e. either programmes in German language (e.g. University

Babes-Bolyai Cluj; Semmelweis University – medicine)• substantial percentage of German students

II. International Rankings: European

63rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Purpose: information for mobile European Master- / PhD-students

Focus on MA-/PhD-programmes & research According to basic CHE approach:

– field-based– multi-dimensional– group approach, no league table

European ranking: indicator-based pre-selection of universities– bibliometric analysis– participation in Marie-Curie-programme– international students

II. CHE European Excellence Ranking

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first cyle 2008: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology

II. CHE European Excellence Ranking

inclusion:disproportional to countries

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Empirical argument in favour of field-based rankings: Only a few universities were ranked top in all of the

four fields !

II. CHE European Excellence Ranking

63,6%

24,2%

6,1%

6,1%

1 subject

2 subjects

3 subjects

4 subjects

93rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Increasing dynamics to develop a broad European ranking

Alternative to global rankings that– are biased against other fields than the (bio-medical)

sciences– are biased against non-English-speaking countries– are exclusively focussing on research (Shanghai ranking)– have severe problems with regard to validity / reliability

(THES ranking)

Pushed forward by French initiative during French EU presidency

Conference in November 2008

II. Recent Trends in Europe

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December 2009: Call for Tender by European Commission: „Design and testing the feasibility of aMulti-dimensional Global University Ranking”

Main elements:– global ranking– field based rankings (business, engineering) &

institutional ranking– multi-dimensional approach (teaching& learning,

research, internationalisation, community outreach)– all levels of education (Bachelor, Master, PhD)– universities plus non-university HEIs and non-university

research institutions– broad range of target groups (students, teachers &

researchers, university leaders, enterprises…)

II. Recent Trends in Europe

113rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Continuation of global rankings:– Broad rankings (THES, Shanghai)– Special rankings (Leiden Ranking, Ecoles des Mines)

Shanghai Jiatong Ranking: Announcement of first field-based rankings for autumn 20009 (chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering and economics)

II. Global Trends

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International Ranking Experts Group (IREG) founded in 2004 in Washington, D.C.

Initiated by UNESCO-CEPES and IHEP- Institute for Higher Education Policy (Washington, D.C.)

Platform for exchange between 1. people/institutions who are doing rankings and2. people/institutions that are doing research on rankings

2006: „Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher Education Institutions”: guidelines for good ranking practice

II. Global Trends: IREG

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2008: Re-organisation of IREG

– “Observatory on Academic Rankings and Excellence”– more formal structure; membership organisation– acceptance of Berlin Principles will be membership

criterion for institutions– regular open conferences

4rth IREG Conference will be held in June 2009 in Astana, Kazakhstan

II. Global Trends: IREG

143rd Int. Symposium on University Rankings, Leiden, February 2009

Limitations to the extension of rankings ?

Thank you very much !