University rankings gain influence, despite obvious drawbacks

By Rosanna Tamburri. When Twitter posted a job ad recently for computer science graduates at its proposed “global centre of excellence” in Vancouver, it had unusually specific requirements for bachelor’s degree-holders. Their bachelor’s had to come from one of the world’s top 100 universities as defined by the Times Higher Education (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), or a similar ranking. This, according to Phil Baty, rankings editor with the London-based THE, is the latest example of how “obscenely powerful” university rankings have become. More...