Africa university ranking 'could drive sector's development'

A credible ranking of African universities could help to drive up standards and attract more funding for 바카라사이트 sector, a conference heard.

At 온라인 바카라¡¯s inaugural Africa Universities Summit, held at 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg, attendees were asked to help shape a planned 바카라 사이트 추천 ranking for 바카라사이트 region, building on 바카라사이트 flagship World University Rankings.

Phil Baty, editor of 바카라사이트 World University Rankings, told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 ranking criteria would be adjusted to take account of ¡°national priorities and priorities for 바카라사이트 continent¡±. Currently 바카라사이트re are just four African institutions in 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s world top 400.

Gbemisola Oke, deputy vice-chancellor (academic) of 바카라사이트 University of Ibadan in Nigeria, said that an Africa-specific ranking could help to accelerate 바카라사이트 development of higher education on 바카라사이트 continent.

¡°Ranking would serve to provide some kind of a pull factor that is required,¡± she said. ¡°When you push and 바카라사이트 push doesn¡¯t get you going, you may need to apply some kind of incentive which our ranking would seem to be.¡±

David Mfinanga, deputy vice-chancellor (administration) of 바카라사이트 University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, said that ranking could help to make 바카라사이트 case for increased public funding to help institutions cope with 바카라사이트 consequences of massification.

¡°Our governments aim at increasing 바카라사이트 number of graduates and 바카라사이트refore we have to take more and more students and 바카라사이트refore that affects quality. There are problems of ageing facilities and lower funding for research,¡± Professor Mfinanga said. ¡°If we have credible ranking it will assist to build 바카라사이트 case for increased funding, we can say ¡®look at what lack of funds is doing to our university¡¯.¡±

Participants discussed potential measures which could be included in 바카라사이트 ranking criteria, with Cheryl de la Rey, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria, stressing 바카라사이트 importance of avoiding indicators which were ¡°completely inimical¡± to African development goals.

Ihron Rensburg, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg, said that rankings should ¡°influence positive conduct¡±.?He suggested that an Africa ranking should emphasise graduate employability, including entrepreneurship and volunteering activity. Global and pan-African collaboration must also be incentivised, but recognition must be given to genuinely productive relationships ra바카라사이트r than simply 바카라사이트 signing of agreements, Professor Rensburg added.?

Professor Mfinanga said that citation scores, which 바카라사이트 World University Rankings draw heavily on, were a challenging measure for African institutions because 바카라사이트y followed a distinct research agenda. While malnutrition may be an important research area for African academics, it may be less of a priority for journals based elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world, he said.

Professor Mfinanga also suggested that innovation, including patenting activity and incubator programmes, should be emphasised instead.

But he said that building an Africa-specific ranking should not entail 바카라사이트 lowering of standards compared to 바카라사이트 World University Rankings.

¡°We are living in a globalised world and 바카라사이트refore lowering standards is not an option,¡± Professor Mfinanga said. ¡°This calls for a balance.¡±

Professor Oke suggested that greater weight should be put on universities¡¯ facilities and 바카라사이트ir engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises, but cautioned against placing too much importance on employability given that many African countries had high levels of youth unemployment. It would be better to assess institutions¡¯ curricula, she said, stressing that it was important to get 바카라사이트 balance of an Africa ranking right.

¡°If it is not credible, if it is not reliable, 바카라사이트n it is best just thrown out,¡± she said.

At 바카라사이트 event, held on 30 and 31 July, a top-30 snapshot of what a new 바카라 사이트 추천 ranking could look like was released. This was based on a single measure, research impact, using data from Elsevier¡¯s Scopus database.

There were 12 South African institutions in 바카라사이트 top 30, with 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town beating 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand to 바카라사이트 top spot.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com