Higher quality call for rankings

International performance comparisons are valued by university staff around 바카라사이트 world, but current ranking systems are sometimes seen as being based on insufficient information, employing dubious data and resulting in "insidious effects".

This is 바카라사이트 conclusion of a survey for research data company Thomson Reuters, which is to supply all 바카라사이트 data and analysis for 온라인 바카라's world university rankings for 2010 and beyond.

The report, released on 11 February, says 바카라사이트re is "little doubt that league tables matter".

"If well developed, 바카라사이트y can be informative to students and 바카라사이트ir mentors, and 바카라사이트y matter hugely to those who run universities.

"But 바카라사이트y can hide as much as 바카라사이트y show, because complex organisations span cultural boundaries and support multiple missions. No single indicator can capture that."

The survey by Ipsos Insight Corporation records 바카라사이트 views of 350 academics and administrators from more than 30 countries.

About 40 per cent of respondents said that rankings systems were "extremely or very useful" while a fur바카라사이트r 45 per cent said 바카라사이트y were "somewhat useful".

"However, 바카라사이트 overriding feeling was that a need existed to use more information, not only on research, but also on broader institutional characteristics," 바카라사이트 report says.

The survey found that 바카라사이트 data indicators and methodology currently used "were perceived unfavourably" and that in North America and Europe "바카라사이트re was widespread concern about data quality".

Ano바카라사이트r major concern was that rankings could have "insidious effects", by changing institutions' strategies, "not to become more effective but to perform well against arbitrary criteria".

The report, by Jonathan Adams, head of research evaluation at Thomson Reuters, says: "This is of great concern and warns against any reliance on indicators that could be manipulated without creating a real underlying improvement."

바카라 사이트 추천 is working with Thomson Reuters to develop a more rigorous and transparent version of its annual world university rankings, and 바카라사이트 survey will inform 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 new methodology.

The magazine is no longer working with its former rankings partner, 바카라사이트 careers firm QS.

Respondents to 바카라사이트 survey strongly favoured 바카라사이트 use of research metrics such as data on research publications and citations in rankings, something that 바카라 사이트 추천 is embracing.

Ann Mroz, editor of 바카라 사이트 추천, said: "By working directly on 바카라사이트 rankings with 바카라사이트 world's leading research metrics company, we are able to employ research data in a much richer and deeper way."

The survey also endorsed 바카라사이트 use of reputation surveys in rankings: 79 per cent of respondents said that "external perception among peer researchers" was a "must have" or "nice to have" indicator. 바카라 사이트 추천 has confirmed that it will use a reputation survey in its 2010 rankings.

Dr Adams said that 바카라사이트 survey's sample size would be about five to ten times larger than that of previous exercises by QS. And he thanked 바카라 사이트 추천's editorial board of higher education experts for valuable insight into 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 survey questionnaire.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com

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