The United Nations University International Institute for Global Health has just published a report on global university rankings prepared by an International Exprts Group composed mainly of academics and administrators. The statement focuses on “the longest-operating and the most influential ones”, specifically those produced by Quacquarelli Symonds, Times Higher Education, the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy and the US News.

The report asserts that rankings are a problem for the following reasons:

• The conceptual foundations are invalid
• The data is flawed and lacks transparency
• They are biased towards research, STEM subjects, and English-speaking institutions
• They perpetuate inequality
• They undermine the development of higher education
• They encourage university to adopt short-term policy approaches
• They encourage an excessive and harmful concern for reputation
• They lead institutions to invest effort and resources in the production of data
• The absence of transparency and accountability is responsible for pervasive conflict of interest.

Source

United Nations University International Institute for Global Health