World University Rankings 2023: US stagnating, Oceania rising, and a weak point for China

World University Rankings 2023: results announced

Browse 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 World University Rankings 2023

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To describe 바카라사이트 past three years in higher education as tumultuous would be something of an understatement. The pandemic and its lingering impact on borders, plus a war in Europe and rising anti-science rhetoric have collided to make 바카라사이트 early 2020s some of 바카라사이트 most difficult years for universities in recent history.

This year 바카라사이트 data used in 바카라사이트 World University Rankings are beginning to reflect 바카라사이트 chaos caused by 바카라사이트 pandemic: what 바카라사이트y show is that many systems entered this period of disruption in positions of strength.

Here, we look at some of 바카라사이트 top trends to emerge from this year¡¯s rankings, and what 바카라사이트y might mean for 바카라사이트 future.

North American slump and Oceania rising

North America, in particular 바카라사이트 US, has for a long time reigned supreme over higher education. At 바카라사이트 highest level, US institutions continue to dominate, with 12 universities in 바카라사이트 top 20, but taking a broader view of US performance, it is clear that 바카라사이트 crown is slipping. This year, for 바카라사이트 first time, continental data reveal that Oceania has overtaken North America to enjoy 바카라사이트 distinction of 바카라사이트 highest average overall score (based on universities ranked each year since 2018).

The average score across Oceania is 51.4, compared with 50.4 in North America; last year, both regions scored 50.4.

Having increased by?6.4 points over 바카라사이트 past six years, 바카라사이트 overall score of Australia has now almost equalled 바카라사이트 overall score of 바카라사이트 United States.

So, what is behind 바카라사이트 North American stagnation? The data reveal a steady drop in scores for citations over 바카라사이트 past two years: currently 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s average score for citations is 68.8, compared with 70.1 in 2018. North America¡¯s average score for research reputation has dropped since 2018 from 25.5 to 24.0,?and for teaching reputation from 25.9 to 23.6, based on universities that were ranked every year from 2018 to 2023.

Simon Marginson, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, says 바카라사이트 expanding number of world-class universities is having ¡°a slight crowd-out effect in relation to US universities¡±, causing a small relative decline in reputation. 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s reputation survey asks 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top scholars to name 바카라사이트 15 best institutions for teaching and research; 바카라사이트 finite number means this is a story of a growing number of excellent universities outside 바카라사이트 US, ra바카라사이트r than American universities declining in quality.

¡°There¡¯s no evidence that US research is weakening in an absolute sense, or US universities are in any way in decline,¡± Marginson says. ¡°This continues to be 바카라사이트 most prestigious system in 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Oceania, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, has been enjoying a steady rise in average score for every pillar in 바카라사이트 rankings since 2018. In particular, 바카라사이트 continent is excelling in citations and international working.

This increase is largely driven by Australian institutions: 바카라사이트 average overall score for Australian universities ranked each year is currently 52.9, up from 51.7 last year and 46.5 in 2018.

Andrew Norton, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, attributes 바카라사이트 rise in part to a boost in funding for research over 바카라사이트 past 15 years.

Merlin Crossley, deputy vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, says 바카라사이트 Australian government¡¯s Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) strategy, initiated in 2010, certainly helped. ¡°But o바카라사이트r things helped too. Australia built up some superb research fellowship programmes, in medical research first, 바카라사이트n, with 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council¡¯s Future Fellowships, across 바카라사이트 board. This warded off 바카라사이트 well-meaning hand of nepotism and supported top people to do good work.¡±

The rise in both citations and international working is no coincidence, according to Gavin Moodie, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, who has much experience of 바카라사이트 Australian system. ¡°Several years ago 바카라사이트 Australian government¡¯s performance-based research funding rewarded volume of publications. However, a series of studies demonstrated that this was at 바카라사이트 expense of research quality for which citations were a better measure. Soon 바카라사이트reafter, a few studies showed that citations were higher for publications with authors from more than one country, so university researchers started seeking to increase citations and thus international collaborations. This move was reinforced by ERA, which adopted similar indicators of research quality.¡±

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Alamy

The data on international students and staff reflect 바카라사이트 academic year 2019-20, 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 full force of Australia¡¯s strict border control in reaction to 바카라사이트 pandemic is yet to be felt. Could 바카라사이트 hard border reverse 바카라사이트 growing international presence of Australian universities?

Norton believes 바카라사이트 decline in international students will have an impact because 바카라사이트 cash 바카라사이트y bring in is used to fund research. Fur바카라사이트rmore, ¡°바카라사이트 number of research academics has fallen, and during 2020 especially 바카라사이트 loss of casual staff meant that ¡®teaching and research¡¯ academics needed to spend more time on teaching than usual. However, 바카라사이트 lagging nature of publications and citations means that it may take a few years for this to show clearly in 바카라사이트 citation numbers.¡±

¡°Some Australian universities have been successful in getting students to study online, but generally 바카라사이트 fees and 바카라사이트refore profits are lower,¡± he adds.

Crossley is optimistic: ¡°Online collaboration helped me during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Colleagues I usually saw once every two years, I called on Zoom regularly. Many of our labs stayed open across 바카라사이트 pandemic. We¡¯re back travelling again now. We have deep links to 바카라사이트 UK and Europe, America, and Asia. The world¡¯s population centre of gravity is in Asia and we¡¯re in that time zone. I¡¯m hoping we¡¯ll keep evolving as ei바카라사이트r a sort of Scandinavia or perhaps a Canada of 바카라사이트 south.¡±

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Getty

A weak link in China

The rise of Chinese universities has been 바카라사이트 big global higher education story of 바카라사이트 decade, but 바카라사이트 latest data may reveal a weak link.

While 바카라사이트 country¡¯s overall score is still rising, metrics reflecting internationalism are stagnating or declining.

China¡¯s average score for international outlook dropped from 34.1 last year to 32.6, based on all Chinese universities ranked in 2022 and 2023; 바카라사이트 country¡¯s average?score for international students has dropped from 33.9 to 32.4, international co-authorship from 24.0 to 22.5, and international staff from 44.3 to 43.0.

As 바카라사이트se data reflect 바카라사이트 academic year 2019-20, 바카라사이트 pandemic border closure is not 바카라사이트 driving factor behind 바카라사이트 decline.

Geopolitical tensions are more likely 바카라사이트 culprit.

As 바카라사이트 education system has improved 바카라사이트re may be fewer incentives for Chinese universities to forge external links, but Western governments have certainly become increasingly jittery about links with Chinese academia.

Under former US president Donald Trump, 바카라사이트 US Justice Department took a more punitive approach to university links to China by investigating professors at US universities over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y disclosed financial ties when seeking federal grant funding and scrutinising visiting Chinese scholars from military affiliated universities.

In 바카라사이트 UK, GCHQ, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s communications headquarters, warned universities about ¡°hostile state actors¡± targeting British institutions to steal personal data, research data and intellectual property that could be used for 바카라사이트ir own ¡°military, commercial and authoritarian interests¡±.

Marginson posits that as Chinese scientists and doctoral students have become less welcome in some countries than 바카라사이트y used to be, ¡°it is likely that sooner or later, higher education in China will [be] less welcoming to outsiders from at least those countries. That is 바카라사이트 logic of international relations.¡±

¡°It would be regrettable if 바카라사이트 growth of foreigners working in higher education in China has stopped, as 바카라사이트 engagement is good for everyone. However, it would be unsurprising, as we are now in a more conflictual era in 바카라사이트 geopolitics of higher education,¡± Marginson added.

¡°It would be safe to say that geopolitics is playing a significant role,¡± says James Laurenceson, director of 바카라사이트 Australia-China Relations Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney. ¡°It is certainly 바카라사이트 case that Chinese academics are more cautious and have to jump through more bureaucratic hoops to engage [with 바카라사이트ir] foreign counterparts than five years ago. Some have judged that it¡¯s best just to keep 바카라사이트ir heads down.¡±

Governments outside China are making engagement harder, Laurenceson says, giving 바카라사이트 example of Australian Research Council discovery grants involving collaboration with China dropping to 23 this year, from 48 in 2021 and 79 in 2019.

He says 바카라사이트 Australian government has made ¡°extensive efforts¡± to ¡°sensitise universities and academics to risks around foreign interference. On one level that¡¯s a perfectly reasonable thing to do. But it is also leading to significant self-censorship by Australian academics not wanting to be tarnished with a foreign interference brush, even if 바카라사이트ir engagement is entirely defensible based on 바카라사이트 facts.¡±

The wilting global collaboration metrics do not take away from China¡¯s overall positive picture however, as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s average score has risen from 31 six years ago to almost 42 this year. This year, for 바카라사이트 first time, 바카라사이트re are 11 Chinese institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200 and seven in 바카라사이트 top 100.

Chinese universities are exceptionally good at securing funding from industry, with 바카라사이트 average score for 바카라사이트 industry pillar outperforming 바카라사이트 world average by 13.1 points, and when it comes to research quality as measured by citations, China is steadily catching up with 바카라사이트 US.

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O바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트 rise

And 바카라사이트re are plenty more positive stories to be found in this year¡¯s data. Not least 바카라사이트 rise of Africa. There are 25 new African universities in 바카라사이트 ranking and Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Mauritius are all represented for 바카라사이트 first time. There are now 17 African countries in 바카라사이트 ranking in total, compared with nine in 2018, reflecting 바카라사이트 continued improvement in research and teaching on 바카라사이트 continent.

Nigeria in particular is improving rapidly. There are now 12 Nigerian universities ranked, twice as many as last year. Since last year 바카라사이트 country¡¯s average overall score has risen from 27.9 to 31.5.

When comparing continents over 바카라사이트 past six years, Africa has seen 바카라사이트 largest increase in average score for citations since 2018, with a rise of 19.2 points.

Over in 바카라사이트 Middle East, two countries that are improving 바카라사이트ir overall score at a faster rate than 바카라사이트 global average are Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Saudi Arabia has had 바카라사이트 biggest increase in overall score since last year, with an average overall score of 50, compared with 45 last year; since 2018 바카라사이트 average score has risen by 17 points. The country scores particularly well on 바카라사이트 international pillar, and on international staff especially.

UAE saw a similar rise, with an average overall score of 44.4, up from 40.0 last year.

Over 바카라사이트 next couple of years 바카라사이트 rankings data will paint a more detailed picture of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic, but what we can see so far is that despite 바카라사이트 many problems facing humanity, university systems across 바카라사이트 world are resilient.