University Rankings Could Bias Funding

Abstract

The News & Analysis story 'Brussels ranking' of universities off to a rocky start (T. Rabesandratana, 25 January, p. [383][1]) discusses a new plan for ranking universities called the U-Multirank, which rates universities according to their quality. This plan may lead to a polarization of research funding. The misuse of such a university ranking list may aggravate an existing bias in the review process: Research teams from well-rated universities, which in most cases already have good funding, have an advantage compared with research groups at low-rated universities when competing for funding resources ([ 1 ][2]). Ranking universities may also aggravate the already difficult access to financial support for junior research groups; senior research groups, with larger and well-funded laboratories ([ 2 ][3]), are more likely to be affiliated with well-rated universities. Ranking universities is not new (for example, the Academic Ranking of World Universities has existed for a decade), but emphasizing the importance of such lists, as seems to be the European Union's intent for the U-Multirank, may harm the research enterprise. If a university's rank is used to judge research proposals and allocate funding, high-quality and innovative research ideas proposed by researchers at low-rated universities may never see the light of day. 1. [↵][4] InterAcademy Council and IAP (The Global Network of Science Academies), Responsible conduct in the global research enterprise: A policy report (2012); [www.interacademies.net/10878/19787.aspx][5]. 2. [↵][6] 1. A. A. Hyman , Science 339, 119 (2013). [OpenUrl][7][Abstract/FREE Full Text][8] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.339.6118.383 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: http://www.interacademies.net/10878/19787.aspx [6]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [7]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.issn%253D0036-8075%26rft.aulast%253DHyman%26rft.auinit1%253DA.%2BA.%26rft.volume%253D339%26rft.issue%253D6116%26rft.spage%253D119%26rft.epage%253D119%26rft.atitle%253DFunding%2BInnovative%2BScience%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.1234741%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23307707%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [8]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEyOiIzMzkvNjExNi8xMTkiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNToiL3NjaS8zMzkvNjEyNS8xMjc0LjMuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9