An examination of global university rankings as a new mechanism influencing mission differentiation: the UK context

O’Connell, Catherine

doi:10.1080/13583883.2015.1017832

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…However, they are also informative for researchers interested in the performance and international or national comparison of university institutions [46][47][48][49][50]. The following two ranking systems have been used in order to gather longitudinal output data for several universities [51][52][53]:…”

Section: Ranking Systems and Research Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Index Number Problem with DEA: Insights from European University Efficiency Data

Klumpp

2018

Education Sciences

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An increasing effort has been put into dealing with the question of time-series analysis regarding institutional efficiency, including in the area of higher education. Universities are important institutions for economies and societies and are expected to provide excellence as well as efficiency in their processes and outputs. This is reflected in the context of an increased global competitive environment by more refined international university rankings. Combining the two areas, this paper points towards a methodological challenge in comparing different ranking datasets for their use in a data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist index time-series efficiency analysis, namely, index-based data compared to additive data. The problem is discussed in a theoretical framework and complemented with an empirical application: calculations for 70 European universities with budget and staff input data and different ranking output data for the timeframe of 2011-2016 show that there is no evidence for a specific index data problem. Important implications regarding university management and higher education policies are outlined. Efficiency improvements among the analyzed universities are significant but also unevenly distributed and not easy to obtain for individual institutions.

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Section: Ranking Systems and Research Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Index Number Problem with DEA: Insights from European University Efficiency Data

Klumpp

2018

Education Sciences

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“…The approach taken in this study has been to examine how different groups appropriate rankings in the UK policy context and to engage a broader inquiry community in this process. The methodology is detailed in the next section (for a fuller account, see O'Connell, ). This close‐up perspective enables examination of how rankings are deployed in policy discourse, how it connects with particular strategies of social change and helps identify points of resistance.…”

Section: Theoretical Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Close‐Up Examination of Discourses Associated with Global University Rankings: Counter‐Narratives in UK Policy Context

O’Connell

2015

Higher Education Quarterly

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In little over a decade since their introduction, global rankings are perceived as having significant and problematic effects. The dominant 'normative' research orientation applied to the research domain of rankings is identified as a contributory factor to the sustained interest in rankings. The paper argues for a 'close-up' research orientation at this juncture to open up the debate and draw attention to alternative narratives of excellence in higher education through a discourse-analytic approach. The paper draws on an analysis of the use of global rankings by higher education sector 'mission groups' to influence national policy in UK, with particular focus on lobbying texts produced by these groups in the period surrounding the UK general election. The analysis demonstrates the strategic struggle for positioning in relation to higher education policy and reflects the different narratives of self-identification of the mission groups. The study draws attention to ways global university rankings mediate discourse and activity and illuminates alternative discourses which respond to rankings.

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“…This growing presence of rankings in the main databases of the international scientific literature reveals that the publication of university rankings is of undoubted interest to the university community, as well as to society in general. This popularity of the rankings is fuelled by university managers and policy makers, as well as their recipients (Fowles, Frederickson, & Koppell, 2016a;Millot, 2015;O'Connell, 2015). However, these articles contain criticisms by scientists and experts, especially regarding methodological matters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universities Under Pressure: the Impact of International University Rankings

García

Ferreira

2020

J. New Approaches Educ. Res.

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This paper synthesizes the characteristics of university rankings that cause pressure or ‘harassment’ on universities and analyses possible strategies for action that can be carried out in the real context of the three main university rankings (QS, THE, ARWU), suggesting the consequences for the so-called world-class universities and others (which represent 95% of the total). Although there is controversy over the criteria of the university ranking systems, many universities are establishing strategies aimed at adapting to these criteria and indicators and improving their positions. This study concludes that international university rankings should not be a relevant source of information to consider the quality of universities because this can have a negative impact on the development of medium- and long-term policies in higher education and the universities themselves. Universities should concentrate on their mission and must provide valid and reliable information to all stakeholders about the level of achievement of their goals.

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An examination of global university rankings as a new mechanism influencing mission differentiation: the UK context

Cited by 19 publications

References 16 publications

The Index Number Problem with DEA: Insights from European University Efficiency Data

The Index Number Problem with DEA: Insights from European University Efficiency Data

Close‐Up Examination of Discourses Associated with Global University Rankings: Counter‐Narratives in UK Policy Context

Universities Under Pressure: the Impact of International University Rankings

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