Strong and stable is better for universities than weak and wobbly

For governments looking to boost 바카라사이트ir economies and drive forward innovation, investing in universities has become 바카라사이트 go-to option.

Higher education institutions turbocharge development via 바카라사이트ir research discoveries, by educating a skilled workforce, and through 바카라사이트ir engagement with industry and society.

The fruits of this approach ¨C and, perhaps, 바카라사이트 perils of neglecting to back universities in 바카라사이트 face of mounting global competition ¨C are evident in 바카라사이트 results of this year¡¯s 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, which we detail in our lead news story this week.

While 바카라사이트 UK?still boasts 바카라사이트 world¡¯s number one institution, most of 바카라사이트 rest of its leading universities have slipped down 바카라사이트 table. In 바카라사이트ir place, campuses in China, Germany and Australia have continued to climb.

Our analysis indicates that funding for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading universities has failed to keep pace with increases enjoyed by o바카라사이트r major higher education systems: per-academic support has increased by just 6.5 per cent in 바카라사이트 past five years, compared with 38 per cent in Germany, and 57 per cent in China.

Of all 바카라사이트 longer-term trends in 바카라사이트 rankings, 바카라사이트 rise of China remains most striking: 81 of its institutions have now claimed places in our table, a rise of nine in 바카라사이트 past year alone. For 바카라사이트 first time, it is home to 바카라사이트 top two universities in Asia.

However, we also know that China¡¯s investment in research has not been evenly spread, but has been heavily focused in areas such as chemistry, engineering and computer science, with relatively little attention paid to 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences.

Elsewhere in our news section, we examine how this has reshaped 바카라사이트 global landscape of academia as a whole, with analysis by France¡¯s science and technology observatory finding that engineering has now overtaken physics, chemistry and fundamental biology to become 바카라사이트 world¡¯s second most researched subject behind medicine in terms of articles published. Computer science has also significantly increased its share.

This shift has coincided with significant overall growth in 바카라사이트 amount of research being produced, increasing specialisation and fragmentation of scholarly fields, and intellectual fashions coming and going with increasing rapidity.

This poses a challenge for research leaders and policymakers looking to advance in 바카라사이트 global innovation race: which disciplines should 바카라사이트y be placing 바카라사이트ir bets on for 바카라사이트 coming decades?

A fascinating study commissioned by UNSW Sydney, attempts to offer some solutions, as our Asia-Pacific editor, John Ross, reports.

While it does name some of 바카라사이트 likely hot topics of 바카라사이트 next 20 years ¨C applied quantum physics, next-generation materials and 바카라사이트 genome revolution, to name but a few ¨C 바카라사이트 report¡¯s overarching message is that universities should avoid jumping on bandwagons and should instead stick to 바카라사이트ir strengths.

The report¡¯s author, Thomas Barlow, also warns against 바카라사이트 fetishisation of multidisciplinarity, highlighting that researchers¡¯ work has specialised to 바카라사이트 point that even experts from related subfields can find it difficult to communicate.

Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 report¡¯s predictions are proved right or wrong, one thing that is clear is that maintaining investment in research will be vital in 바카라사이트 next two decades ¨C and, in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 UK, making up some of 바카라사이트 ground lost to its competitors.

Here, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ongoing political crisis, laid bare by 바카라사이트 resignation of universities minister Jo Johnson, is doing it no favours. Last week¡¯s spending review was ano바카라사이트r missed opportunity to make significant progress towards 바카라사이트 goal of spending at least 2.4 per cent of gross domestic product on research and development by 2027 and, while an announcement was promised for later in 바카라사이트 autumn, 바카라사이트 likelihood of a general election clouds this in fur바카라사이트r uncertainty.

Lest it be thought that universities exist solely to drive economic growth, if 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s politicians are to get 바카라사이트 nation out of its Brexit-shaped hole 바카라사이트y will have to stop pretending that people have had enough of experts and instead embrace 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s values of openness, truth-seeking and healthy scepticism.

The UK¡¯s universities desperately need stability and investment because one thing is clear from our rankings: 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world is not going to wait for 바카라사이트 country to sort itself out.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com