Impact and Influence of Rankings — The View from Inside Higher Education

Abstract

The annual publication of university rankings has perpetrated a feeding- frenzy that sends shock-waves throughout the higher education system worldwide. Few HE leaders are unaware of global rankings, and most have familiarity with either national or global rankings (Adams and Baker, 2010; Jaschik, 2009c). While many HE leaders claim they do not over-emphasize rankings, few HE leaders or senior administrators are either unaware of their own rank or that of their national or inter- national peers. The increasing hype surrounding rankings is treated with a mixture of growing alarm, scepticism and, in an increasing number of instances, with meaningful engagement with the process of collect- ing the necessary data and responding to the results.