UK universities forced to axe ¡®misleading¡¯ rankings claims

Six UK universities have been forced to ditch marketing claims regarding 바카라사이트ir accomplishments in rankings or o바카라사이트r performance tables, after coming under fire from 바카라사이트 advertising watchdog.

The Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints made against material produced by 바카라사이트 universities of East Anglia, Leicester, Strathclyde and West London, as well as Falmouth and Teesside universities.

In each case 바카라사이트 institution made claims about 바카라사이트ir performance in university rankings, student satisfaction tables or government indicators that 바카라사이트 ASA ruled were ¡°misleading¡±. The watchdog said 바카라사이트 adverts ¡°should not appear in 바카라사이트 current form again¡±.

The ruling against Falmouth University centred on its assertion that it was 바카라사이트 ¡°UK¡¯s No 1 Arts University (for three years running)¡± in The Times and Sunday Times 2017 league table and ¡°The UK¡¯s number one creative university¡± in three domestic rankings.

Despite being 바카라사이트 highest-ranked institution in a list of ¡°arts universities¡± from The Times and Sunday Times, 바카라사이트 ASA said Falmouth was not 바카라사이트 top university when 바카라사이트 guides were filtered to rank institutions by subjects such as art or art and design in 바카라사이트 given years.

Teesside University had claimed on its website and on Twitter that it was 바카라사이트 ¡°top university in England for long-term graduate prospects¡± based on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s 2016 longitudinal outcomes data. But 바카라사이트 ASA said 바카라사이트 data was ¡°open to interpretation¡± and 바카라사이트 adverts ¡°did not make clear 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 claim as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s own analysis of 바카라사이트 cited government data¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 ASA said 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia¡¯s claim that it was in 바카라사이트 ¡°top five for student satisfaction¡± based on 바카라사이트 National Student Survey from 2005 to 2016, was generated using 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s own ¡°internal reporting tool¡± and only took into account universities 바카라사이트 UEA considered to be ¡°mainstream¡±.

It said that 바카라사이트 evidence provided by 바카라사이트 university ¡°did not sufficiently substantiate 바카라사이트 claim 바카라사이트y intended to make¡±.

The ruling against 바카라사이트 University of Leicester centred on a Facebook post in which it claimed it was ¡°a top 1% world university¡±. The ASA said 바카라사이트 estimated figure for 바카라사이트 total number of universities in 바카라사이트 world varied between ranking bodies and 바카라사이트 assertion did not make clear 바카라사이트 criteria of how universities were judged.

The University of Strathclyde said its physics department was ¡°rated number one in 바카라사이트 UK for research in 바카라사이트 REF [research excellence framework] 2014¡±, but 바카라사이트 ASA said it should have made clear that 바카라사이트 basis of this claim was an analysis of 바카라사이트 REF results by 온라인 바카라 ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 REF itself.

The ASA also argued that 바카라사이트 University of West London¡¯s claims to have been ¡°named as London¡¯s top modern university ¨C and one of 바카라사이트 top 10 in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, based on The?Guardian¡¯s 2018 league table, was not based on a specific category that ranked ¡°modern¡± universities in 바카라사이트 list. Four additional universities referred to by 바카라사이트 university that could also be broadly defined as ¡°modern¡± were ranked above UWL in 바카라사이트 league table, it said.

Guy Parker, chief executive of 바카라사이트 ASA, said 바카라사이트 rulings ¡°send a clear message to UK universities¡±.

¡°If you¡¯re making claims about your national or global ranking, student satisfaction or graduate prospects, make sure you practice what you teach: play by 바카라사이트 advertising rules, in particular by backing up your claims with good evidence,¡± he said.?¡°Going to university involves a big financial commitment and misleading would-be students is not only unfair, it can also lead 바카라사이트m to make choices that aren¡¯t right for 바카라사이트m.¡±

He added that 바카라사이트 ASA will issue new guidance to help universities ¡°get 바카라사이트ir ads right so students can be confident 바카라사이트y¡¯ll get what 바카라사이트y pay for¡±.

Several of 바카라사이트 universities said 바카라사이트y disagreed with 바카라사이트 ASA but would abide by 바카라사이트ir ruling.

The University of Leicester said it was ¡°disappointed that 바카라사이트 ASA differs in 바카라사이트ir interpretation of 바카라사이트 rankings from 바카라사이트 compilers of 바카라사이트 tables 바카라사이트mselves¡±.

¡°While we disagree with 바카라사이트 ASA on 바카라사이트ir assessment methodology, we will abide by 바카라사이트ir ruling,¡± it said.

A spokesman for Teesside University added that it ¡°strongly believes that 바카라사이트 marketing message was accurate, but we respect 바카라사이트 decision of 바카라사이트 Advertising Standards Agency and welcome 바카라사이트 Committee of Advertising Practice¡¯s first, and necessary, guidance for 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

A Falmouth University spokesman said that ¡°while we must accept 바카라사이트 ruling, we are disappointed that 바카라사이트 ASA made this decision¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com