This series aims to explore the globalization of higher education and the impact this has had on education systems around the world including East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the US. Analyzing HE systems and policy this series will provide a comprehensive overview of how HE within different nations and/or regions is responding to the new age of universal mass higher education. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. There has been a surge of global indicator knowledge that has come to challenge more traditional forms of transnational governance. This book discusses the field development in global ranking and argues that there is now a global policy script on knowledge governance that is greatly linked to economic competitiveness and innovation. Higher education and innovation policies have become central features of national economic competitiveness, nowadays measured by global rankings. We see this as a part of a broader field development in global comparative assessment, where earlier rankings in economic competitiveness and good governance are increasingly interlinked with global university rankings and indicators on innovativeness.We observe the interlinkages and similarities in the indicators of different policy domains, arguing that there is now an evolving field of global measurement that surpasses them. In considering the dynamics of field development, we highlight how the number of indicators is rising rapidly, as there are new entrants to the field that propose methodological improvements or claim to explore novel conceptual grounds. Regional rankings and city-level indicators have also emerged as alternatives to global rankings.As a result, the rankings now construct a global policy script on knowledge governance that posits institutions and practices of national knowledge production at the heart of ec...
