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13 avril 2013

New Analysis of Global University Rankings

HomeThe European University Association has released a new analysis of the state of global university rankings. Various evaluation systems continue to proliferate and existing ones refine their methodologies, the report says. But some things do not change. The study notes "biases and flaws" that favor elite universities. Further, the report says that most rankings -- which tend to focus on research - "still not able to do justice to research carried out in the area of arts, humanities and social sciences." Read more...
13 avril 2013

University Rankings Proliferate, Along With New Uses for the Data They Collect

The Chronicle of Higher EducationBy Aisha Labi. The number of international university rankings continues to grow, transforming a crowded and increasingly controversial field with new methodologies and new uses for rankings and the data compiled to produce them.
A report, "Global University Rankings and Their Impact II," published on Friday by the European University Association, outlines recent developments and trends and is a follow-up to a 2011 report published by the Brussels-based group.
Since the last report, although criticism of rankings has intensified, reliance on them has expanded, and they are increasingly being used to shape institutional and public policy, the report says. The number of rankings has also grown. For the first time last year, for example, both Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli-Symonds, better known as QS, each published a ranking of universities less than 50 years old. The report also singles out a new comparative ranking of 48 national higher-education systems by Universitas 21, an international university network. Read more...
13 avril 2013

Opening up higher education to the world and the new university ranking, U-Multirank

Androulla Vassiliou, Member of the European Commission responsible for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. European University Association Annual Conference/Ghent (Belgium), 11 April 2013.
It's a pleasure to be here with you this afternoon for the annual conference of the European University Association. It's an honour to address such a distinguished audience. I would like to thank the EUA for inviting me to speak and congratulate it for organising the event. Today we are here to discuss the internationalisation of higher education. This is very timely since we, at the European Commission, are currently working on a new strategy for this, and I will be presenting it to European education ministers within the next few months.
I am actually very grateful to the EUA for its contribution to this work in progress. The findings of the online survey that you organised on internationalisation have been of great help. I thank all those who replied. It is good news to know that over 50% of you already have an internationalisation strategy and more than 90% believe an EU strategy can bring added value.
Yes, we need to be prepared at European level to take on educational challenges that go beyond national borders. The labour market is changing. It is becoming more and more global, open and competitive. The demand for high skills is growing, and higher education – with its links to research and innovation – has a crucial role to play in equipping students with those skills. Europe's growth and prosperity depend on it. Students' expectations are changing too. In today's digital era, students want to choose what they learn, how and where they learn and when they learn. Courses offered online or blended forms of learning are becoming new ways to satisfy their individual needs and interests.
And the international higher education landscape is changing. Students from China, India and Korea have become the most mobile in the world. And the number of students in higher education worldwide is expected to increase fourfold, from around 100 million in 2000 to an estimated 400 million in 2030 – with Asia and Latin America in the lead. If there are today around 4 million internationally mobile students in the world, estimations indicate that it might grow to 7 million by 2020. But the internationalisation of higher education is no longer just about students leaving their country to study abroad.
It is about a whole change in mind set. Universities need broader strategies that go beyond mobility and cover many other types of academic cooperation such as joint degrees, support for capacity building, joint research projects, distance learning programmes. The concept of "internationalisation at home" is also key to ensure that the majority (98%) of students, who are not in a position to study abroad, can nevertheless enjoy the benefits associated with international exposure. European universities will have to attract more talent from around the world, and they will have to engage in cooperation with the new higher education hubs on other continents. The EU has an important role to play in helping universities respond to these challenges, even if many already are. But it is our combined efforts at all levels that will enable us to ensure quality higher education across Europe.
Over the past two decades, EU programmes have changed the face of higher education in Europe: the Erasmus Programme has been a driving force in making mobility part of the regular academic life of millions of students. It has also been an important catalyst in the reform and internationalisation of higher education systems. It paved the way for the Bologna Process and for associated tools such as learning outcomes, transferability of credits, and the EU-wide transparency and recognition tools; these have all contributed to better understanding and mutual trust between institutions in Europe, and beyond. Other EU programmes, like Erasmus Mundus and Tempus, have followed but with a more global outreach.
[Erasmus for All- international dimension]

For the next EU funding period 2014-2020, we plan to deepen our support for European universities. The new "Erasmus for All" programme that I have proposed will provide a policy framework and financial incentives for the internationalisation strategies of European universities. This is actually one of the main novelties of the new programme. Our aim is to put an end to the current fragmentation of the various existing external higher education programmes and to increase the synergies between the internal and external instruments.
Our objectives are twofold: Enhance the attractiveness and excellence of EU higher education and support the development and the modernisation of higher education systems in third countries.
Concretely, the new 'Erasmus for All' will support three types of actions:
First, a stronger support will be put on degree mobility and more specifically on Joint Master degrees which will be offered by consortia of EU and non EU universities. Second, for the first time, we are opening the internal Erasmus programme to non-EU universities, students and staff. Third, we will focus part of our action on the capacity building of high quality higher education systems in Third Countries.
[Horizon 2020 – Marie Curie]

The Erasmus for All programme will be complemented by the Horizon 2020 programme and its Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions for researchers. We will indeed continue to support their training and mobility at all levels in Europe and the rest of the world. To date, more than one fifth of the researchers recruited under Marie Curie have been non-Europeans. They bring much needed skills and talent to European universities and enterprises. We want to maintain this strong international dimension. All in all, these new programmes will help to attract talents to Europe and strengthen Europe's reputation as a provider of high quality, socially responsible higher education & research.
[Budget]

However, this high level of ambition requires appropriate means. In this perspective, the Commission proposed to allocate €17 billion to the new Erasmus for All programme (an increase of 63.6% based on 2011 prices) including a strong increase for the international dimension of the programme. We also proposed a 21% increase for the Marie Curie programme. Despite the agreement at the European Council, the investment for research and education will globally increase however to a lesser extent that expected. In particular, the money coming from the external dimension instruments for Erasmus for All might be seriously decreased and the Marie Curie programme might face serious budgetary adjustments. All this will surely undermine the impact of our actions. I therefore call on the European Parliament to support the internationalisation of higher education by allocating sufficient means.
[Visa regulation]

Besides the budgetary question, one recurrent issue when discussing with non-EU student about the attractiveness of Europe as a place to study and do research is the visa regulations. I note that this is also one of the three important factors identified in the survey launched by EUA. Today too many non-EU students entering the EU are facing unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles as current rules for obtaining a student visa or a residence permit are often complex, lengthy and unclear.
The Commission, through my colleague Cecilia Malmström and with my strong support, has proposed three weeks ago to make it easier and more attractive for non-EU national students and researchers to come to Europe by modifying the relevant visa directives. Concretely, the new legislation will set clearer time limits for national authorities to decide on applications (maximum 60 days), provide for more opportunities to access the labour market during and after their studies and facilitate intra-EU movement. This is a very ambitious proposal which is now in the hands of the Member States and the European Parliament for adoption.
[U- Multirank]

I would like to take this opportunity to also speak about an important instrument we just launched as part of our modernisation agenda of higher education but also of our internationalisation strategy: the new multidimensional ranking instrument - U-Multirank. U-Multirank is aimed at giving us a better picture of our higher education landscape. Because what we need above all else, in order to raise quality, are institutions that know what they are doing and why – for this they need objective information about their strengths and weaknesses.
The predominant focus of existing rankings on research does not help improve the overall quality of higher education – which is much more than research excellence.
Rankings are never perfect, as your valuable analysis has shown. Even if some are more transparent than others, there is always a subjective element which can distort the picture. However, rankings are here to stay, so I consider important to try to raise their quality and relevance. I am very pleased that you will present in your plenary session tomorrow afternoon the results of the second EUA rankings review. We all need a clear and unprejudiced view of the methodologies that different rankings use.
What is new about U-Multirank is it will be a tool for all types of institution, not just the top 500. An institution – of whatever type – will be able to benchmark itself against its peers across borders in all corners of the world; for many, it will be the first time. U-Multirank is not an end in itself. Our purpose is not to provide another blunt instrument on which reputations fall or rise.
It won't give us a perfect view; but it can give us a much more rounded, fairer and more accurate image. It will help us see how international our institutions are – because it is through international networks that we can deliver quality. It will help us know how well they deliver teaching and learning; or transfer knowledge; or how they interact with their regions, to create skills and job opportunities and plough these back into the region. And it will be user-driven; individual users will be able to produce their own personalised rankings, from a selection of institutions that meet their needs. In this way, U-Multirank will help students find the university or college that is right for them.
It will help institutions make strategic decisions based on knowledge about what they do well, or what they need to improve, compared to their peers. It will provide information that policy makers can use to guide their decision-making. U-Multirank will not be a one-shot exercise. It is an evolving instrument that will need to improve over time. But it is there for you. I am delighted that the EUA has agreed to join the Advisory Board of U-Multirank. Your input will be of great value.
The next six months are a key opportunity for universities to participate in the first round of the ranking to be published in 2014. I hope that not only will we see the EUA on the Advisory Board, but also that many individual members will join U-Multirank. We want all stakeholders to be part of the process. U-Multirank is not an initiative which is done to the universities but with the universities.
There is not one approach to internationalisation – it can vary widely, depending on the context of the institution. What is important is that all institutions of higher education realise that they have to position themselves one way or another in the face of globalisation. Internationalisation is an opportunity not a threat. It can bring significant benefits for Europe, for the Member States and for individual institutions.
And we all have a part to play in ensuring that young Europeans are educated and equipped with the skills they need to succeed on a rapidly changing employment market. I know all of us here are working hard in that direction – today's conference is already proof – and I look forward to the stimulating debates that will come out of this event.

13 avril 2013

Classement 2013 des employeurs préférés des étudiants français

http://www.e-orientations.com/imgs/orientation-etudes-metier-emploi.gifLe Top 100 des employeurs préférés des étudiants français vient d'être dévoilé par le cabinet Universum, aussi bien pour les jeunes d'écoles d'ingénieurs, de commerce et d'université. Plus de 34 000 étudiants ont en effet interrogés et ont dévoilé leurs entreprises préférées en ce contexte de crise économique et de temps difficile pour l'emploi des jeunes.
Le luxe et l'aéronautique continuent de truster les premières places des employeurs préférés des étudiants français. Le cabinet Universum vient en effet de dévoiler son édition 2013 des employeurs idéaux, après avoir interrogé un nombre record de 34 160 étudiants de grandes écoles et d'universités françaises. Il en ressort que LVMH et EADS sont de nouveau les leaders incontestés. Suite de l'article...
http://www.e-orientations.com/imgs/orientation-etudes-metier-emploi.gif An 100 Barr Fostóirí na mic léinn na Fraince is fearr leat Tá nocht an ngnólacht Universum, an dá scoil óg gnó innealtóireacht, agus ollscoil. Níos mó...
11 avril 2013

Asia University Rankings 2013 - Japan takes Asian crown

Times Higher EducationBy Elizabeth Gibney. Former president says online courses could drive down costs. The way higher education is delivered in the US needs to undergo a “dramatic change”, which could be driven by the accreditation of massive open online courses, according to the nation’s former president Bill Clinton.
At public colleges and universities, the cost of tuition has been rising above the rate of inflation for more than a decade, and although the federal government has increased its funding for students in a bid to reduce levels of student debt, this has been negated by a drop in average family incomes.
“A lot of people will have student debt that goes beyond the federal student loan programme. I think the only sustainable answer is to find a less expensive delivery system,” Mr Clinton told Times Higher Education. Read more...
7 avril 2013

University chief issues rankings warning

http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/gif/201312/nzh-svl-300x501.gifBy Nicholas Jones. New Zealand universities are falling in international rankings and without a radical rethink of funding will struggle to attract top students and staff, a university leader has warned. Auckland University vice-chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon said the university system had lost ground in even the most generous of international rankings.
"Although the universities do a better job each year, other university systems that are better funded are rising through the ranks. That's a huge problem, because international students particularly use the world rankings as a mark of quality."
New Zealand universities are aiming to grow their numbers of international students, after a change in government funding effectively capped domestic student numbers, and the funds that go with them. Professor McCutcheon said that was at risk. Read more...
7 avril 2013

UBC dominates B.C. university salary rankings

By Chad Skelton. Four of five highest-paid post-secondary employees work there. Four of the five highest-paid employees at B.C.’s universities and colleges work at just one institution: the University of B.C., according to The Vancouver Sun’s exclusive database of public-sector salaries. According to The Sun’s fifth annual salary database, UBC president Stephen Toope is the highest-paid post-secondary employee in the province with total remuneration of $531,088 in 2011-12. Toope’s salary went up slightly from 2010-11, when he made $528,504 and also topped the list of post-secondary employees. Toope announced Wednesday that he would be stepping down from his post next June. After Toope, the next three highest-paid post-secondary employees also work at UBC: dean of medicine Gavin Stuart at $499,150, radiology professor Francois Benard at $475,544, and business professor Dan Skarlicki at $435,847.
The only non-UBC employee in the top five is University of Victoria president David Turpin, who made $430,760. And UBC’s generous compensation extends beyond the top five list. Read more...
31 mars 2013

Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2013

http://www.aca-secretariat.be/fileadmin/templates/2009/images/logosmall.jpgEarlier this month, Times Higher Education has issued its much awaited 2013 reputation rankings of the world’s top 100 universities. Once again, Harvard topped the ranking, closely followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With 40 universities in the top 100 (seven of them in the top 10), the United States are the undisputed leaders.
The UK comes second, with nine universities in the top 100. Cambridge and Oxford respectively ranked third and fourth. Stanford University dropped down to number six, preceded by University of California, Berkeley. Together, these elite Anglo-American universities make up the top six, earning them the dub ‘super-brands’. The University of Tokyo, at place 9, is the highest ranking university outside of the UK and the US.
Compared to previous years, the 2013 rankings highlight some interesting trends. UK representation has declined since 2011. Phil Baty, rankings editor at THE magazine, voices his concern: “There is some good news for the UK, but only for a handful of its elite institutions. Outside the chosen few, there is cause for alarm. (…) It now seems that a gap is opening up between the very best and the rest, with even household name institutions like Sheffield and Leeds losing their luster and falling down the rankings”.
Brazil, Taiwan, Belgium, Israel, Russia and Turkey are moving up, each with one representative in the top 100. Germany gained one new entrant, raising its representation to five, along with Japan and the Netherlands.
The rankings also highlight a big improvement for Australia. With six universities in the top 100, it now has the third highest representation, behind the US and the UK. THE World University Rankings.
30 mars 2013

Le regain d’égalitarisme dont nous souffrons aujourd’hui n’est pas la solution

http://www.headway-advisory.com/blog/wp-content/themes/headway/images/logo.jpgPar Olivier Rollot.«Le regain d’égalitarisme dont nous souffrons aujourd’hui n’est pas la solution»: entretien avec Jean Chambaz, président de l’UPMC.
L’université Pierre-et-Marie Curie (UPMC) est souvent considérée comme la toute meilleure université scientifique française. Son président depuis 2012, Jean-Chambaz, revient avec nous sur une université modèle qui, même si elle n’a pas toujours les moyens de ses ambitions, n’en entend pas moins toujours innover.
Olivier Rollot : L’UPMC est l’une des trois grandes universités scientifiques françaises classées dans les 100 premières mondiales du classement de Shangaï (42ème). Bien sûr on pourrait espérer mieux, bien sûr on peut rejeter ce classement, largement dominé par les universités américaines, mais c’est quand même une reconnaissance à laquelle vous devez être sensible?
Jean Chambaz : Les classements n’ont pas une grande valeur car aucun n’est rigoureux. Nous avons du mal à comprendre l’obsession des ministres de l’Enseignement supérieur français successifs pour des classements qui ne revêtent une telle importance nulle part ailleurs. C’est bien propre à la France de vouloir tout classer. Il suffit de voir comment les parents s’inquiètent quand on leur annonce que les élèves dans le primaire ne seront plus notés. Pour que nous soyons au niveau des grandes universités américaines dans ces classements il faudrait que nous bénéficions de budgets beaucoup plus importants. Sans parler des handicaps structurels liés à la double dualité française: universités et grande écoles d’un côté, universités et organismes de recherche de l’autre. Ce qui est intéressant ce ne sont pas les classements mais le « mapping » des universités pour bien savoir qui fait quoi. Suite de l'article...
http://www.headway-advisory.com/blog/wp-content/themes/headway/images/logo.jpg By Olivier Rollot. "The renewed egalitarianism which we suffer today is not the solution": Interview with Jean Chambaz, president of UPMC. University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) is often considered the very best French scientific university. Its president since 2012, Jean-Chambaz, back with us on a university model, although it was not always the means of its ambitions do not hear constantly innovate less. More...
24 mars 2013

Don't take too much notice of rankings

http://enews.ksu.edu.sa/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/UWN.jpgBy Philip G Altbach. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently chastised Indian universities for having no institutions in the ‘top 200’ of the global higher education rankings. He sees this poor showing as an indication of the low quality of Indian higher education. Indian authorities also said that only overseas universities in the global ‘top 500’ would be permitted to establish a branch campus or joint-degree programme in India. Other countries use the global rankings for internal purposes. Singapore uses them as a benchmark and as an indicator of where scholarship students may be sent. Read more...
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