Higher Education Institution Rankings and their impact on decision making Olivia Iulia

Abstract

University rankings are a worldwide phenomenon which, despite their novelty and complexity, have shaped higher education over the past twelve years and are continuing to do so. The purpose of this research is to find out how rankings, either national or global, are influencing decision making in higher education institutions and what their impacts are on the stakeholders involved, included but not limited to current and former students, university leaders, investors, local governments and enterprises. Rankings are seen as tools for institutional marketing and performance assessment on one hand, and as mechanisms of public accountability on the other. Either as a direct or indirect response to them, the most evident changes in higher education have been the increased focus on research over teaching in the fields of science and technology, on institutional and faculty prestige and distinctions, and the content of learning shifting towards multidisciplinary and cultural diversity. Despite the criticisms regarding ranking methodologies and data analysis, their influence only seems to become more pronounced and, as result, the traditional goals of higher educations are making way to concepts of consumerism, branding, and privatization. However, the research shows that, in order to create highly skilled graduates which will become active participants in their communities, higher education institutions need to be offered the autonomy necessary to achieve their goals to the best of their abilities, with as little unnecessary intrusion as possible.