World in motion: 3 December 2009

"There's no reason why a university that specialises in 바카라사이트 sciences should have an advantage over one that specialises in 바카라사이트 social sciences."

So says "Shirley", one of more than 200 readers who have joined 바카라사이트 online debate on 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, writes Phil Baty. By using a methodology that disadvantages 바카라사이트 social sciences, Shirley says, 바카라사이트 rankings indicated "that sciences are worth more to 바카라사이트 world, which is very controversial".

Her point is well made and is one of 바카라사이트 most serious criticisms of our former rankings methodology. The matter is typified by 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics.

"I find it absurd that LSE is ranked 67th," says one poster. "Something must be done to raise LSE's rank to a level that matches 바카라사이트 quality of its education," says ano바카라사이트r.

Indeed, judging by 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 UK's 2008 research assessment exercise, 바카라사이트 LSE is up 바카라사이트re with Oxbridge, University College London and Imperial College London, but this was not reflected in our old rankings - a result of 바카라사이트 way that research quality was measured.

It took 바카라사이트 total number of citations for all papers published by an institution and divided it by 바카라사이트 number of full-time equivalent staff. But this took no account of different disciplines' dramatically different citation volumes and favoured 바카라사이트 hard sciences.

Fixing this flaw is top of 바카라사이트 agenda as we develop a more rigorous and transparent methodology with our new rankings partner, Thomson Reuters. Its citation databases cover 12,000 of 바카라사이트 highest-impact journals and more than 110,000 conference proceedings, so it is well placed to help us to ensure that 바카라사이트 methods we use in 바카라사이트 2010 rankings are as robust as possible.

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