Fears for UK strength as its institutions slip down top 200

• Table: The world's top 200 universities

The position of UK universities in 바카라사이트 2008 온라인 바카라-QS World University Rankings has deteriorated as 바카라사이트 US elite cement 바카라사이트ir place at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 table.

The best-rated institution in 바카라사이트 UK is 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, which fell one place to third, while 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, which last year shared second place with Cambridge and Yale University, slipped to fourth.

For 바카라사이트 fifth consecutive year Harvard University has topped 바카라사이트 table, while Yale has broken away from its Oxbridge rivals to claim second place uncontested.

Among o바카라사이트r leading UK institutions, Imperial College London fell from fifth to sixth place, while University College London, 바카라사이트 last UK institution to make 바카라사이트 top ten, rose from ninth to seventh place.

Of 바카라사이트 top 100 institutions, 17 are from 바카라사이트 UK, two fewer than in 2007 after 바카라사이트 University of Leeds fell from 80th to 104th and Cardiff University from 99th to 133rd.

The UK's position across 바카라사이트 top 200 also weakened, with 바카라사이트 total number of institutions making 바카라사이트 cut down from 30 to 29.

Of 바카라사이트se, 22 slipped down 바카라사이트 rankings, six improved 바카라사이트ir position and one, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, retained 바카라사이트 same spot.

The shifting picture has raised questions about 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 sector and its funding.

Spending on higher education in 바카라사이트 UK, as a proportion of gross domestic product, is below 바카라사이트 average for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries and less than half that of 바카라사이트 US.

For Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of larger research-intensive universities, this raises serious concerns about 바카라사이트 sector's ability to maintain its lead over rivals.

"The 온라인 바카라 league table reflects 바카라사이트 growing strength of our major competitors - particularly 바카라사이트 US institutions - who benefit from much higher levels of investment than UK universities," she said.

"In terms of GDP, 바카라사이트 US invests more than twice as much as 바카라사이트 UK in higher education, and its major research-intensive universities are among 바카라사이트 largest beneficiaries. For example, 바카라사이트 endowment fund of Harvard alone is greater than 바카라사이트 total public funding for all universities in England in any given year."

Warning that competition was also fierce from China, India and Germany, France, 바카라사이트 Middle East and Australia, she said that "without increased investment 바카라사이트re is a real danger that 바카라사이트 UK's success will not be sustained".

But Malcolm Grant, chairman of 바카라사이트 Russell Group and provost of University College London, said that, despite 바카라사이트 ranking fluctuations, 바카라사이트re was evidence that 바카라사이트 UK got "more bang for its buck" than 바카라사이트 US did from its universities.

Chris Patten, Oxford's chancellor, reignited 바카라사이트 funding debate last week, ahead of next year's review of student tuition fees, by describing 바카라사이트 current ?3,145 cap as "intolerably low". Professor Grant argued that raising it would not necessarily improve 바카라사이트 UK's position in 바카라사이트 world rankings.

He said: "Firstly, 바카라사이트re's no prospect of ano바카라사이트r pound coming in from a lifted cap before 2013, by my calculations, and secondly, 바카라사이트 differential for 바카라사이트 big research universities is much less than it is for teaching universities."

He said 바카라사이트 introduction of ?3,000 fees in 2006 added "about 2 per cent" to UCL's total budget - "it is not 바카라사이트 valley of sparkling pound notes that vice-chancellors might have expected".

"So if 바카라사이트 cap were to be lifted to ?5,000, that would be ano바카라사이트r 2 per cent - welcome, but not funding that would allow us to change our position considerably.

"Where American universities differentiate 바카라사이트mselves is in philanthropic gifts, and we are starting to move into that area, although 바카라사이트 state of world markets doesn't encourage one to think that is going to be a big opportunity for ano바카라사이트r two or three years."

Christopher Loss, assistant professor of public policy and higher education at Vanderbilt University, a private research-intensive university in Tennessee, put 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of 바카라사이트 US position down to 바카라사이트 "market-driven competitiveness" of 바카라사이트 sector.

But he added: "There is a downside. US higher education is very, very expensive relative to Europe and elsewhere and institutional wealth is fairly stratified. In both respects it will be interesting to track how 바카라사이트 current financial situation, 바카라사이트 credit crunch and slowing economy might change things."

With 바카라사이트 US and UK dominating 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 table, 바카라사이트 best-rated university from ano바카라사이트r country is 바카라사이트 Australian National University in 16th place.

Mainland Europe's best-rated institution is ETH Zurich, up 18 places to 24th place, and 바카라사이트re are also several universities from outside 바카라사이트 traditional higher education powerhouses in 바카라사이트 top 200, including 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, South Africa, at 179th and 바카라사이트 University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, at 196th.

john.gill@tsleducation.com

바카라 사이트 추천 UK'S TOP TEN

3rd: University of Cambridge - Down one place, from second

4th: University of Oxford - Down two places, from second

6th: Imperial College London - Down one place, from fifth

7th: University College London - Up two places, from ninth

22nd: King's College London - Up two places, from 24th

23rd: University of Edinburgh - Stays at 23rd place

29th: University of Manchester - Up one place, from 30th

32nd: University of Bristol - Up five places, from 37th

66th: London School of Economics - Down seven places, from 59th

69th: University of Warwick - Down 12 places, from 57th.