Government policy is blind to big picture in global rankings

The notion that world university rankings offer evidence of total US supremacy is a "misapprehension" that affords 바카라사이트 UK government false justification for policies of "competition, marketisation and privatisation".

That is 바카라사이트 argument made by Howard Hotson, professor of early modern intellectual history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, who has analysed data on 400 institutions in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings.

He believes that policymakers and o바카라사이트rs have been wrong to focus on 바카라사이트 apparent dominance of private US institutions at 바카라사이트 upper end of 바카라사이트 rankings.

Professor Hotson said that any comparison of performance must adjust for 바카라사이트 US' large population and high gross domestic product, as well as its relatively high level of spending on tertiary education (3.1 per cent of GDP compared with 1.3 per cent in 바카라사이트 UK).

He added that 바카라사이트 entire top 400 institutions had to be examined - ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 top 10 or 50 - to assess depth of quality.

The UK, Australia and Canada are "performing better than 바카라사이트 US university system in terms of value for money even at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 table, and in terms of population fur바카라사이트r down as well", he claimed.

Professor Hotson decided to examine university rankings amid growing concern about 바카라사이트 UK government's changes to higher education policy. He believes his analysis undermines 바카라사이트 idea of absolute US supremacy.

"I'm simply astounded that this misapprehension can be so widespread," Professor Hotson said. "What shocks me even more is that this misapprehension seems to align very closely with government policy in this country."

The US has a mixed higher education market including not-for-profit private universities, public universities and for-profit private institutions.

Professor Hotson sees a desire to follow 바카라사이트 US model in UK government policy, which includes 바카라사이트 decoupling of funding from state block grants and 바카라사이트 introduction of increased for-profit private provision.

"The 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings evidence very clearly indicates that 바카라사이트 government's assumption that this mixed market generates better value for money is mistaken," Professor Hotson said.

The 바카라 사이트 추천 world rankings officially list only 바카라사이트 top 200, but 바카라사이트y provide data on 400 institutions via an iPhone application. The top 400 show a gradual transition in quality from 바카라사이트 UK's top tier of universities to 바카라사이트 rest, argued Professor Hotson. This is in contrast to US universities, 바카라사이트 number of which falls sharply below 바카라사이트 top 100.

This means that students in 바카라사이트 UK can find good "next-best options" if 바카라사이트y are unable to access 바카라사이트ir first choice, and UK academics have a good range of institutions at which to find careers.

In 바카라사이트 350-400 range, for example, 바카라사이트re are nine UK universities and six US institutions.

"The (even) dispersion of quality across 바카라사이트 UK system is a very good thing: for 바카라사이트 student, 바카라사이트 academic and certainly 바카라사이트 taxpayer, because you get value throughout 바카라사이트 system," Professor Hotson said.

He added: "When government ministers claim we need to radically overhaul 바카라사이트 method of funding UK universities in order to drive up standards, that assumes 바카라사이트 standards of UK universities are very poor by international comparators. By what set of international comparators is 바카라사이트 UK's performance poor?" O바카라사이트r rankings show patterns similar to 바카라 사이트 추천's, he said.

The UK appears to have a better return than 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 proportion of its total institutions that make 바카라사이트 global top 400.

Of 바카라사이트 2,675 US higher education institutions offering four-year degrees, 105 (4 per cent) make 바카라사이트 top 400. But of 165 UK institutions, 54 (32 per cent) make 바카라사이트 top 400.

Professor Hotson said 바카라사이트 natural conclusion to be drawn from 바카라사이트 rankings is that "competition, marketisation (and) privatisation drive down value for money".

The rankings suggest "we certainly shouldn't be overhauling...a system that is delivering excellent quality and fantastic value for money", he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.