Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

University Rankings pp 1–16Cite as

The Past, Present, and Future of University Rankings

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

In this chapter, we provide the groundwork for the entire book. Although we do not discuss each topic in detail, the intention is to convey introductory information for readers about the topics to be covered by the various contributors. In the section dealing with university rankings in higher education contexts, we briefly review the development of ranking surveys and introduce the concept of organizational effectiveness, discuss the concepts of quality and quantity in higher education, and the mechanisms that are used to measure organizational effectiveness. In the metho­dology section, we introduce the reader to measures of institutional performance and related issues. In the section dealing with the impacts of ranking on society, we focus on the impacts of ranking surveys on higher education systems, individual institutions, students, and the side effects of ranking surveys. We close this chapter by discussing the future of ranking surveys.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Astin, A. (1993). What matters in college: Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borden, V., & Bottrill, K. (1994). Performance indicators: History, definitions, and methods. New directions for institutional research, No. 82. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, N. A., & Bastedo, M. N. (2009). Getting on the front page: Organizational reputation, status signals, and the impact of U.S. News and World Report on student decisions. Research in Higher Education, 50(5), 415–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brew, A., & Boud, D. (1995). Teaching and research: Establishing the vital link with learning. Higher Education, 29, 261–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, J. C., & Minassians, H. (2002). Reporting indicators: What do they indicate? In J. Burke & H. Minassians (Eds.), Reporting higher education results: Missing links in the performance chain. New Directions for Institutional Research, 116, 33–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartter, A. (1966). An assessment of quality in graduate education. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cave, M., Hanney, S., & Kogan, M. (1991). The use of performance indicators in higher education: A critical analysis of developing practice (2nd ed.). London: Jessica Kingsley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christal, M. E. (1998). State survey on performance measures: 1996–97. Denver, CO: State Higher Education Executive Officers/Education Commission of the States.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conrad, C., & Blackburn, R. (1985). Correlates of departmental quality in regional colleges and universities. American Education Research Journal, 22, 279–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dill, D. D. (2009). Convergence and diversity: The role and influence of university ranking. In M. K. Barbara & S. Bjorn (Eds.), University rankings, diversity, and the new landscape of higher education (pp. 97–116). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dill, D., & Soo, M. (2005). Academic quality, league tables, and public policy: A cross-national analysis of university rankings. Higher Education, 49, 495–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drew, D., & Karpf, R. (1981). Ranking academic departments: Empirical findings and a theoretical perspective. Research in Higher Education, 14, 305–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drewes, T., & Michael, C. (2006). How do students choose a university? Analysis of applications to universities in Ontario, Canada. Research in Higher Education, 47(7), 781–800.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg, R., & Hurst, P. (1996). The 1995 NRC ratings of doctoral programs: A hedonic model. Change, 28(3), 46–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elton, L. (2001). Research and teaching: Conditions for a positive link. Teaching in Higher Education, 6(1), 43–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feldman, K. A. (1989). Association between student ratings of specific instructional dimensions and student achievement: Refining and extending the synthesis of data from multisection validity studies. Research in Higher Education, 30, 583–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, R. (1925). A study of the graduate schools of America. Oxford, OH: Miami University Press, 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, R. (1934). Report on the committee on graduate instruction. Educational Record, 15, 192–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnes, G. (1988). Research performance indications in the university sector. Higher Education Quarterly, 42(1), 54–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leistyte, L., Enders, J., & Boer, H. (2009). The balance between teaching and research in Dutch and English universities in the context of university governance reforms. Higher Education, 57(4), 509–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leydesdorff, L., & Opthof, T. (2010). Scopus’s source normalized impact per paper (SNIP) versus a journal impact factor based on fractional counting of citations. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 61, 2365–2369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsey, D. (1989). Using citation counts as a measure of quality in science. Scientometrics, 15, 189–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, W., Verbik, L., Richardson, J. T. E., & King, R. (2008) Counting what is measured or measuring what counts? League tables and their impact on higher education institutions in England, Report to HEFCE. Bristol: Higher Education Funding Council for England. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2008/08_14/

  • Marsh, H. W. (1987). Students’ evaluations of teaching: Dimensionality, reliability, validity, potential biases, and utility. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 707–754.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W. (2007). Students’ evaluations of university teaching: Dimensionality, reliability, validity, potential biases and usefulness. In R. P. Perry & J. C. Smart (Eds.), The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: An evidence-based perspective (pp. 319–384). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., & Hattie, J. (2002). The relation between research productivity and teaching effectiveness: Complementary, antagonistic, or independent constructs? The Journal of Higher Education, 73(5), 603–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moed, H. F. (2010). The source-normalized impact per paper (SNIP) is a valid and sophisticated indicator of journal citation impact. Available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.4906

  • Moed, H., Burger, W., Frankfort, J., & van Raan, A. (1985). The use of bibliometric data for the measurement of university research performance. Research Policy, 14, 131–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proulx, R. (2009). World university rankings: The need for a new paradigm. In M. K. Barbara & S. Bjorn (Eds.), University rankings, diversity, and the new landscape of higher education (pp. 35–46). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roose, K., & Andersen, C. (1970). A rating of graduate programs. Washington, DC: American Council on Higher Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimank, U., & Winnes, M. (2000). Beyond Humboldt? The relationship between teaching and research in European university systems. Science & Public Policy, 27(6), 397–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, J. (2010). Impacts of performance-based accountability on institutional performance in the U.S. Higher Education, 60(1), 47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, J., & Cummings, W. (2010). Multilevel analysis of academic publishing across disciplines: Research preference, collaboration, and time on research. Scientometrics. doi:10.1007/s11192-010-0236-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, J., & Harman, G. (2009). New challenges for higher education: Global and Asia-Pacific perspectives. Asia Pacific Education Review, 10(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, M., & Elen, J. (2007). The “research-teaching nexus” and “education through research”: An exploration of ambivalences. Studies in Higher Education, 32(5), 617–631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teichler, U. (2009). Between over-diversification and over-homogenization: Five decades of search for a creative fabric of higher education. In M. K. Barbara & S. Bjorn (Eds.), University rankings, diversity, and the new landscape of higher education (pp. 155–182). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toutkoushian, R. (1994). Using citations to measure sex discrimination in faculty salaries. The Review of Higher Education, 18, 61–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toutkoushian, R., Porter, S., Danielson, C., & Hollis, P. (2003). Using publication counts to measure an institution’s research productivity. Research in Higher Education, 44, 121–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Usher, A., & Medow, J. (2009). A global survey of university rankings and league tables. In M. K. Barbara & S. Bjorn (Eds.), University rankings, diversity, and the new landscape of higher education (pp. 3–18). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Damme, D. (2009). The search for transparency: Convergence and diversity in the Bologna Process. In F. A. van Vught (Ed.), Mapping the higher education landscape (pp. 39–56). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • van der Wende, M., & Westerheijden, D. (2009). Rankings and classifications: The need for a multidimensional approach. In F. A. van Vught (Ed.), Mapping the higher education landscape (pp. 57–70). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Raan, A. F. J. (2007). Challenges in ranking universities. In J. Sadlak & L. Nian Cai (Eds.), The world-class university and ranking: Aiming beyond status (pp. 87–121). Bucharest: UNESCO-CEPES.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster, D. S., & Skinner, T. (1996). Rating Ph.D. programs: What the NRC report says…and doesn’t say. Change, 28(3), 22–44. May/June 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, H. Y., & Stewart, A. A. (2002). Assessing the performance of public research universities using NSF/NCES data and data envelopment analysis technique. AIR Professional File 83. Tallahassee, FL: Association for Institutional Research.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

    Jung Cheol Shin

  2. Institute of Higher Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Robert K. Toutkoushian

Authors
  1. Jung Cheol Shin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert K. Toutkoushian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jung Cheol Shin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Education, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 599, Seoul, Gwanak-gu, 151-742, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Jung Cheol Shin

  2. Inst. Higher Education, University of Georgia, Meigs Hall, Athens, 30602, Georgia, USA

    Robert K. Toutkoushian

  3. Internationales Zentrum für, Hochschulforschung Kassel, Universität Kassel, Mönchebergstr. 17, Kassel, 34109, Germany

    Ulrich Teichler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Shin, J.C., Toutkoushian, R.K. (2011). The Past, Present, and Future of University Rankings. In: Shin, J., Toutkoushian, R., Teichler, U. (eds) University Rankings. The Changing Academy – The Changing Academic Profession in International Comparative Perspective, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1116-7_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation