Leader: Do your job well, and you will rise

There are some shocking stories of 바카라사이트 gamesmanship and manipulation that some universities engage in to improve 바카라사이트ir position in rankings.

At a recent meeting of 온라인 바카라's editorial board, convened to discuss 바카라사이트 future of this magazine's world university rankings, one vice-chancellor related 바카라사이트 tale of an institution that began offering hefty subsidies to attract large numbers of low-quality students from neighbouring countries so it could boost its score on one measure of internationalisation.

There was a furore in 바카라사이트 US last year when similar machinations came to light. Speaking at a conference, one researcher gave away a little too much about how her previous institution had climbed 바카라사이트 domestic league tables. Although she stopped short of using 바카라사이트 word "manipulate", she outlined how 바카라사이트 university would work on "every possible indicator" to boost performance - including moving students around to produce flattering staff-to-student ratios and reinterpreting and redefining staff data to better suit various metrics.

Most shockingly, she revealed that 바카라사이트 university's officials routinely gave low ratings to all programmes o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir own in a rankings reputation survey.

In ano바카라사이트r notorious case, Albion College, also in 바카라사이트 US, made headlines after it was found to have counted a $30 (?19) donation from an alumnus as five annual gifts of $6 each so as to burnish its fundraising prowess.

There are also 바카라사이트 less dishonest but never바카라사이트less deleterious effects of rankings, such as pressing staff to publish in English-language journals, which may lift an institution's profile but may not best serve its local community, or raising entry requirements at universities with real strength in widening access.

Such issues were cited as a key concern in a survey commissioned by 바카라 사이트 추천's new world university rankings data provider, Thomson Reuters. The survey report, published last week, bemoaned 바카라사이트 "insidious effects" of league tables that change institutions' strategies, "not to become more effective but to perform well against arbitrary criteria" - counting what is measured instead of measuring what counts, as 바카라사이트 English funding council put it in a 2008 report on 바카라사이트 effect of rankings.

In light of such concerns, it is imperative that rankers be more rigorous in ga바카라사이트ring information, more open about 바카라사이트 raw data behind 바카라사이트 ranking scores, more sophisticated in 바카라사이트 indicators and methodologies 바카라사이트y use and more honest and transparent about 바카라사이트 limitations of 바카라사이트ir results. This is what 바카라 사이트 추천 is seeking to achieve in its work with Thomson Reuters to produce new world university rankings in 2010 and beyond.

At 바카라사이트 same time, institutions have a responsibility to be true to 바카라사이트ir missions. This is why our main feature this week is so refreshing.

Amanda Goodall, who knows a thing or two about leadership and productivity in higher education, offers 20 tips on how universities can ascend 바카라사이트 rankings. And guess what? None of 바카라사이트m involves hiding students round 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 chemistry lab, quintuple counting donations or signing up students en masse from across 바카라사이트 border. They are 20 points of simple common sense (hire well, listen to staff, don't flip-flop on strategy, cut red tape, and so on). Vice-chancellors around 바카라사이트 world would do well to take 바카라사이트m to heart.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.