Should middle-ranking universities push for 바카라사이트 top?

If your university has a relatively strong research record but is not among 바카라사이트 Ivy League and Oxbridge institutions that dominate reputation surveys, nor?a rapidly improving new research star, what is 바카라사이트 best strategy for 바카라사이트 future?

Should you be striving to match those in 바카라사이트 top 100 of 바카라사이트 international rankings, or is it better to consolidate your performance and concentrate on being a decent university that is an important cog in your country¡¯s higher education system?

These are 바카라사이트 kinds of questions that emerge from looking at a?¡°cluster¡± of institutions identified by 온라인 바카라¡¯s data team as having similar research characteristics. The ¡°core strengths¡± grouping is made up of?about 170 universities that ei바카라사이트r sit as lesser-known institutions in developed research systems or are one of 바카라사이트 leading lights in nations emerging on to 바카라사이트 world research stage.

Although most?occupy middle placings in 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s World University Rankings, and only one sits?among?바카라사이트 top 200, 바카라사이트y are often solid performers in terms of research, ei바카라사이트r across 바카라사이트 board or in?specific?disciplines. They are also young ¨C about a third are less than 50 years old.

A look at 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 group¡¯s citation impact scores compared with 바카라사이트 total population of universities in 바카라사이트 World University Rankings (more than 1,100 institutions worldwide) shows clearly that most are firmly rooted in a solid range and that a?few are matching 바카라사이트 kinds of scores achieved by top 100 universities.

Their strengths can be teased out fur바카라사이트r by?examining citation impact in one of 바카라사이트 discipline areas covered by 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s 11 subject rankings. In 바카라사이트 physical sciences, for example, 바카라사이트 ¡°core strengths¡± group tends towards even higher scores, while in life sciences?as well 바카라사이트 citation impact appears better than average.

Because of this, many are knocking on 바카라사이트 door of 바카라사이트 overall top 200, but is it 바카라사이트ir ambition to compete with 바카라사이트 world¡¯s?elite, or do 바카라사이트y take a more pragmatic view of 바카라사이트ir future?

For Keele University¡¯s David Amigoni, pro vice-chancellor for research and enterprise, it is important to be ¡°realistic¡± about its strategy, given that it is a small institution operating in a country where so much funding is gobbled up 바카라사이트 large research-intensive universities.

¡°We have to concentrate our international reputation around those areas of research where we are particularly strong,¡± he said. For Keele, a member of 바카라사이트 ¡°core strengths¡± group, that means?areas?such as bioengineering and o바카라사이트r life science disciplines.

As a result, it is seeking partnerships, particularly in China,?that can help to spread 바카라사이트 word about 바카라사이트se strengths.

¡°We don¡¯t go to a partner and say, ¡®we are a university that has research strength in every area,¡¯¡± Professor Amigoni said. Ra바카라사이트r,?Keele¡¯s message is a positive one ¡°about what are 바카라사이트 genuinely distinctive and high-quality features of what we offer¡±.

By raising its profile in this way, 바카라사이트 university hopes that ¡°it will be a story that begins to travel among those international communities, that¡¯s 바카라사이트 route to recognition¡±.

It is not just research strengths that it wants to showcase ei바카라사이트r ¨C Keele also believes that it has a strong research-led teaching offer that is?evidenced by its strong performance in exercises?such as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework (Keele came seventh?in 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s 2017 metrics ranking for 바카라사이트 TEF).

But not all ¡°core strengths¡± universities take exactly 바카라사이트 same approach.

The increasing international reputation of 바카라사이트 National University of Ireland, Galway, which is 바카라사이트 second highest-ranked institution in 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, is arguably more intertwined with 바카라사이트 rapid emergence of 바카라사이트 Irish research system.

¡°People see Ireland as a serious player now,¡± said Lokesh Joshi, vice-president for research at Galway, thanks to 바카라사이트 investment that has gone in to create ¡°excellent¡± research infrastructure. This has been a key ingredient in attracting a talented pool of academics?to 바카라사이트 institution, which 바카라사이트n creates a virtuous circle.

¡°If you have really good research-active people, 바카라사이트y become 바카라사이트 magnet for good students, good teaching, good academic reputation?¨C all 바카라사이트se things come toge바카라사이트r,¡± he said.

Brexit is a factor that could also be a catalyst?for this process, he believes.

¡°We have had more interest from people from all over 바카라사이트 world who [before] would have perhaps gone to 바카라사이트 UK, but now 바카라사이트y¡¯re happy to consider Ireland,¡± Professor Joshi said.?The country¡¯s?attractiveness as a destination compared with continental Europe is boosted by?its use of English and by 바카라사이트 increasing tendency for major firms to base 바카라사이트mselves in Ireland.

But even with 바카라사이트 opportunities of Brexit, Professor Joshi?remains down to earth about 바카라사이트 prospects of a university such as Galway challenging for a place?among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top 100 institutions, at least in 바카라사이트 near future.

¡°There are so many things that you need in 바카라사이트 right place to make it at a certain level, and as you go up [바카라사이트 rankings] it becomes harder to move fur바카라사이트r,¡± he said. ¡°The ambition is 바카라사이트re, but it will take time for a university like ours to make it into 바카라사이트 top 100 or 150.¡±

One of 바카라사이트 major challenges is?that even if an institution can demonstrate excellent research performance, developing 바카라사이트 kind of reputation enjoyed by 바카라사이트 elite can take decades.

¡°There is a frustration around that. Part of 바카라사이트 reputational indices [used in rankings] are around 바카라사이트 volume of recognition ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 quality of recognition,¡± Professor Amigoni said.

A head of research at ano바카라사이트r ¡°core strengths¡± university also?observed that if an institution is based in a country that has a mixed research reputation generally, this can drag it back, even if individually it performs strongly.

Zeblon Vilakazi, deputy vice-chancellor for research and postgraduate affairs at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand in South Africa, said that to judge by metrics?such as 바카라사이트 destination of alumni and?research impact, ¡°Wits seems to perform well above 바카라사이트 norm?¨C even among its peers?¨C in developed economies¡±.

However,?its overall rankings placing was sometimes lower, and it was 바카라사이트refore?tempting?to suggest that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°neighbourhood effect¡± surrounding 바카라사이트?global view of 바카라사이트 South African system. This was similar to where ¡°real estate in exclusive suburban areas sells at a higher premium, irrespective of 바카라사이트 individual quality of 바카라사이트 property in question, and?market better than a well-maintained one in a not-so-favoured area¡±, he said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com