HE  Higher Education Ranking is a scientific, academic, and research project that works to rank higher education institutions according to a number of criteria that include a number of performance indicators that contribute to improving the operation and performance of higher education institutions. The institutions participating in the ranking are added according to a questionnaire link that is sent to them and filled out by the participating universities.

HE Higher Education Ranking includes 25 general criteria and standards, each of which has its own weight and percentage. Each criterion is followed by a number of performance indicators whose number, weight and impact are commensurate with the weight of the general criterion (in total 177 measurable and calculable performance indicators).

Research – 9%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of journals of the HEIs.
• The number of published papers during the last year.
• The number of published papers during the last 5 years.
• The number of results of the domain of the HEI on google scholar.
• The number of winners of international awards.
• The total number of patents granted (national and international).
• The total number of patents pending (national and international).
• Total number of IPRs other than patents/copyrights (including original writings).
• The number of books and periodicals available at the library/libraries of the university for every 1000 students.
• The number of research centers affiliated with the university.
• The number of international conferences held by the university in the last year.
• The number of international conferences held by the university in the last 5 years.
• The number of participations of young researchers in international conferences.
• The number of co-editorships in international journals.
  The total number of staff in joint research projects.
• The number of researchers at the university.
• The number of original books authored by the university academic staff, or publishing houses affiliated or connected with the university.
• The number of book chapters published by the academic staff of the university.

Internationalization – 8%, including the following KPIs:

• The ratio of international faculty members/total faculty members.
• The ratio of international students /total number of students.
• The number of professors who have spent at least 1 semester abroad in the last 5 years.
• The proportion of professors who have spent at least 1 semester abroad relative to the total number of professors at the university.
• The number of professors with international professional experience outside the HEI.
• The proportion of professors with international professional experience outside the HEI relative to the total number of professors.
• The proportion of young researchers who gained at least one university degree abroad (Bachelor, Master, Ph.D.) relative to the total number of researchers.
• The number of international benchmarking initiatives that the university is a member of.
• The number of active partnerships of the university in the last 3 years.
• The number of international research projects with international cooperation partners.
• The number of international conferences held by the university last year.
• The number of international conferences held by the university in the last 5 years.
• The proportion of international students with non-local education.

Teaching – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of graduates with joint or double/multiple degrees.
• General Student attendance rate at theoretical programs.
• General Student attendance rate at practical programs.
• All information related to the teaching plan, classes, exam tables, and workload are publically available (yes – no).
• Passing Rate for National Licenses, Colloquium Test, or Exams (e.g. Nursing, pharmacy, Law, Medicine, etc.).
• The Number of new executive programs during the last 5 years.
• The number of new professional development programs/short courses.
  The number of Ph.D. and master programs offered by the university.

Student Success, and Graduation – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• Graduation Rates at the university.
• The ratio of students female/male.
• The level of trust of graduates of the university with their academic study.
• The level of trust of students of the university with the services provided at the university.
• The level of knowledge transfer from holders to receptionists.
• The number of incoming international exchange students.
• Number of outgoing exchange students.
• The number of students in joint or double/multiple degree programs.
• The number of students enrolled in special academic courses at the summer university and its proportion relative to the total number of students.
• Students’ registration and examination details and information data are protected and saved (yes – no).
• Is Cross-national mobility of students in higher education available for students of the university? (yes – no).

Faculty & Staff – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• The ratio of Part-Time vs. Full-Time Faculty.
• The ratio of students/faculty members.
• The level of satisfaction of faculty members of the HEI for the management of the university.
• The number of professors who gained their doctoral degree abroad.
• The proportion of professors who gained their doctoral degree abroad relative to the total number of professors.
• The total number of young researchers who have gained at least one university degree abroad (Bachelor, Master, Ph.D.).
• The proportion of non-academic staff/ administrative staff who have taken part in internationally-oriented further training programs.
• The number of employees with international experience (minimum 3 months).
• The number of researchers who are involved in international research projects.
• The number of lecturers who gained their doctoral degree abroad.
• Academic Staff younger than 35 years old.
• Non-academic staff younger than 35 years old.
• Academic staff older than 65 years old.
• Non-academic staff older than 65 years old.
• Percentage of Staff with Advanced Certifications/Degree.

Funding, Finance, and Grants – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• The ratio of Income from other sources/ to income from fees.
• The proportion of the University’s budget for international cooperation, MoUs, and international relations.
• Procured third-party funding from international sponsors every year.
• Amount of procured third-party funding every year.
• Budget for international research cooperation and scholarship funds.
• Budget for international higher education marketing.
• Budget for international higher education marketing in relation to the total budget.
• The proportion of Research Grants and Contracts Awarded Per Proportion of Academic Staff Costs.
• The total sum of Funding for Public Services Initiatives.
• Expenditure of the university on R&D activities / total expenditure of the university.
• The total sum of scholarship funds offered by the university.

Facilities & Resources, and management – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• Student number/class.
• The number of Stakeholder engagement meetings every year.
• The number of libraries for every 1000 students.
• The number of libraries at the university.
• The number of e-libraries at the university.
• How many campuses does the university have? Is it a multi-campuses university?

Social, and Cultural Impact of the university – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• Number of cultural activities of the HEIs during the last year.
• Number of cultural activities of the HEIs during the last 5 years.
• The number of transparent activities and activities of the university.
• The level of trust in services provided by the university.
• The level of participation of the HEI for the local authorities.
• The number of professors with a migrant background.
• The proportion of professors from a migrant background relative to the total number of professors.
• Lectures on intercultural learning (yes – no).
• Information on countries/cultures/societies.
• Percentage of Alumni Engagement in the academic activities of the university.

Quality Assurance, Accreditation, and Networking – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of accredited programs/ total programs in the university.
• The university is locally accredited (yes – no).
• The number of academic programs offered at the university.
• The number of programs that had accreditation from an accreditation agency that is a member of (ENQA – INQAAHE – CEENQA – Regional accreditation agency in the USA).
• The university has institutional accreditation (yes – no).
• The Number of MoU signed by the HEI during the last 5 years.
• The number of international academic bodies that the HEIs is a member of.
• The number of International networks in which, the university is a member of.
• The number of active membership in international specialized networks and associations (e.g. BWL: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS).
• The university, or any of its faculties, centered, or colleges, is ISO 21001, or ISO 9001 certified (yes – no).

Equity, equality, Diversity, and inclusion – 5%, including the following KPIs:

• The ratio of female faculty members/total faculty members.
• The number of infrastructures available for students with special needs.
• The university has a policy of providing equal opportunities for male and female staff (yes – no).
• The university has a policy for Equity and equality (yes – no).
• Are there appropriate processes, procedures, and tools to support the necessary accommodations for constituents with disabilities?

Foreign Language, and Linguistic Impact – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of programs taught in foreign languages.
• The number of employees with foreign language skills as a precondition for employment.
• The proportion of lecturers who teach technical disciplines in a foreign language (e.g. engineering taught in English) relative to the total number of lecturers.
• The website of the university is available in more than one language.
• The proportion of courses taught in a foreign language to the total course offers.
• The number of foreign language programs offered at the HEI.

UN SGDs, and 2030 Agenda – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of sustainable development initiatives at the university.
• The number of environmental development initiatives at the university.
• Application of the HEI for the UN Goals of Development.

Labor Market – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• The ratio of employment of the HEIs to the total number of graduates within 18 months.
• The level of trust of labor market owners of the products of the university.
• Labor market surveys are available at the university (yes – no).
• Number of labor market orientation meetings during the last year.
• The number of gatherings with labor market owners, company owners, and stakeholders of the labor market during the last 5 years.
• Internationally-oriented Career Center (yes – no).
• Is there information about the professional development of the graduates? (yes – no).

Recreation, support, and entertainment – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of recreational and sports facilities available for every 1,000 students in the university.
• The number of football fields, stadiums, entertainment halls, virtual reality, and entertainment gatherings.
• Student Participation Rate in Intramural Athletics or Sports Clubs.

Information Technology, and computer equipments – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of technological development initiatives of the HEIs during the last year.
• The number of technological development initiatives of the HEIs during the last 5 years.
• The number of ICT centers at the university.
• The number of Software Licenses.

Lifelong learning – 4%, including the following KPIs:

• Does the HEI have a policy or a plan to be Adaptive to change?
• Does the HEI have a policy or a plan to be Adaptive to crisis management?
• Availability of implementation risks initiatives of the HEIs.
• The ratio of the number of every 1000 students to the population of the city/area where the university is located.
• The university is active in political and civic engagement.
• The university is active in engagement with diverse views on civic and political issues.
• The university is active in learning opportunities outside of formal education.
• The university is active in informal learning experiences.

Data Management – 3%, including the following KPIs:

• Percentage of availability of strategies, resolutions, guidelines/ total number of policies of HEI.
• University data are protected and saved physically and virtually (yes – no).
• University data are secured and are easily retrieved in case of emergency (yes – no).
• The number of Online Databases.

Admissions & Enrollments – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• Acceptance Rates at the university.
• The ratio of Ph.D. students /total number of students.
• The ratio of master students /total number of students.
• Drop-out rates for first-year students.
• General Drop-out rates at the university.

Media – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The university is active on social media platforms.
• The university has a YouTube channel/channels.
• The university is active on LinkedIn

Academic Freedom – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• Are there any training resources available for students related to free Speech (yes – no)?
• The number of initiatives launched by the university to promote academic freedom during the past five years.

Support of distance learning – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of total distance learning programs offered by the university.
• The university is prepared for online education (yes – no).
• The university has a platform to support online education (yes – no).

Innovation and creativity – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The number of Innovative initiatives of the HEIs during the last year.
• The number of Innovative initiatives of the HEIs during the last 5 years.
• The university has the policy to support talented students (rewards – financial aid, etc).

Sustainability and management – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The university has certain procedures for good governance.
• The university has certain procedures for decision-making.
• The university follows democratic models in governance.
• Decisions of the university are councils-made decisions.

Academic Transparency – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The university discloses a listing of the actual instructional materials and activities it had used during the academic year on a publicly accessible portion of its website.
• The university has policies and procedures to keep politics, radicalism, and racism out of classrooms.

Futuristic Concept of the university – 2%, including the following KPIs:

• The university has a five-year plan for its operation.
• The university sets plans for the inclusion of its graduates in the faculty members of the university.
• The portion of investment of the university in futuristic, and modern technology (like Metaverse, AI, and other technologies).