University rankings in Nordic higher education: a scoping review

Abstract

ABSTRACT In response to global competition in higher education, university rankings have been developed. These have been interpreted as indicating the regions and countries with the most prestigious and competitive higher education institutions. The rankings are viewed as important in many countries, but their role is ambiguous and contested in the Nordic region. This study aimed to analyse how rankings were addressed in research literature in the Nordic countries between 2003 and 2022. Both peer-reviewed studies and ‘grey’ (unpublished) literature were analysed via a scoping review methodology, encompassing 86 studies in total. The review identified five research themes pertaining to university rankings, touching on universities’ structural and governance reforms, educational affairs, funding and finances, research policies, and internationalization. The study also investigated the changes over time in the themes addressed in rankings-related discourse in the Nordic countries. Most of the studies were conceptual in nature and were conducted via qualitative methods.