The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings
This paper examines the limitations and biases of world university rankings and asks what drivers explain their ongoing proliferation and popularity. It is argued that rankings are having a corrosive effect on higher education systems, institutions and staff by encouraging policy reforms at the gove...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Inter-Research
2013-06-01
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| Series: | Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics |
| Online Access: | https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esep/v13/n2/p65-71/ |
| _version_ | 1798024920409571328 |
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| author | D Robinson |
| author_facet | D Robinson |
| author_sort | D Robinson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines the limitations and biases of world university rankings and asks what drivers explain their ongoing proliferation and popularity. It is argued that rankings are having a corrosive effect on higher education systems, institutions and staff by encouraging policy reforms at the governmental level and a reallocation of resources at the institutional level that may improve standings in the rankings but do not necessarily enhance quality research and teaching. Global rankings are linked to the rise of an international market in higher education, particularly with respect to international students. The author argues that what is at stake in the debate over university rankings is fundamentally whether higher education is to be thought of as having intrinsic value, or whether it is defined narrowly in instrumentalist and consumerist terms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:10:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1491bac6b1914e75ac2c8be00466e9b5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1863-5415 1611-8014 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:10:30Z |
| publishDate | 2013-06-01 |
| publisher | Inter-Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics |
| spelling | doaj.art-1491bac6b1914e75ac2c8be00466e9b52022-12-22T04:10:08ZengInter-ResearchEthics in Science and Environmental Politics1863-54151611-80142013-06-01132657110.3354/esep00135The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankingsD Robinson0Senior Advisor, Education International, 5 blvd du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, BelgiumThis paper examines the limitations and biases of world university rankings and asks what drivers explain their ongoing proliferation and popularity. It is argued that rankings are having a corrosive effect on higher education systems, institutions and staff by encouraging policy reforms at the governmental level and a reallocation of resources at the institutional level that may improve standings in the rankings but do not necessarily enhance quality research and teaching. Global rankings are linked to the rise of an international market in higher education, particularly with respect to international students. The author argues that what is at stake in the debate over university rankings is fundamentally whether higher education is to be thought of as having intrinsic value, or whether it is defined narrowly in instrumentalist and consumerist terms.https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esep/v13/n2/p65-71/ |
| spellingShingle | D Robinson The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics |
| title | The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings |
| title_full | The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings |
| title_fullStr | The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings |
| title_full_unstemmed | The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings |
| title_short | The mismeasure of higher education? The corrosive effect of university rankings |
| title_sort | mismeasure of higher education the corrosive effect of university rankings |
| url | https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esep/v13/n2/p65-71/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT drobinson themismeasureofhighereducationthecorrosiveeffectofuniversityrankings AT drobinson mismeasureofhighereducationthecorrosiveeffectofuniversityrankings |