The Dilemmas of Ranking

Abstract

Rankings of academic institutions, programs, and departments are all the rage worldwide. National rankings are ubiquitous and at least two worldwide rankings exist. These operations are widely criticized for questionable or flawed methods as well as for the concept itself, but everyone uses them. When done well, they can be valuable to consumers, policymakers, and to academic institutions themselves as they compare themselves with peer institutions at home or abroad. Rankings range from irresponsible musings by selfappointed experts and money-making schemes by commercial organizations to, at their best, serious efforts by academic or research organizations. Publications—including U.S. News and World Report in the United States, the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and the Financial Times in Britain, Der Spiegel in Germany, Reforma in Mexico, and Asiaweek (now defunct), and others—have sponsored rankings. A few outlets, such as U.S. News and THES, have achieved a degree of respectability. Rankings have achieved a degree of public legitimacy and an aura of credibility because respected research and policy organizations have sponsored some of them. The research and teaching assessments carried out by the funding councils in the United Kingdom, the rankings of disciplines done by the National Research Council in the United States, and some others are examples. This past year, Shanghai Jiaotong University and the THES have published worldwide university rankings.