400 likes | 412 Views
Learn about new research methodologies, performance measurement, strategic improvements, and branding recommendations for Mahidol University. Explore recent developments, Z-Score aggregation, and international rankings comparisons.
E N D
Times Higher - QS World University RankingsMahidol: Rankings, performance and branding Ben SowterHead of ResearchQS Mahidol University, Bangkok 4 April 2008
Objectives • Explain new developments in research methodology • Understand results and their implications for Mahidol • Understand performance measurement and ways to identify strategic improvement • Recommendations for progression of international brand • Collect feedback and input
THE – QS World University Rankings NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Peer Review New Development • Reviewers prevented from selecting their own institution • Impact on institutions from countries with good response but low number of institutions from which to select
Implementation of online system New Development • Enable institutions to interact with our data • Submission • Validation • Track history • Explanatory notes fields
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) New Development • All personnel metrics based on FTE • If no FTE data is available an average is calculated based on national or regional norms • FTE numbers are a more accurate measure of an institution’s commitment to teaching and research
Switch to Scopus New Development
Switch to Scopus New Development • No viable alternative to Thomson in 2004 • ESI not a thorough interpretation of Web of Science • Work with Evidence/Thomson led to many universities missing data • Main benefits of WoS relate to older data – particularly pre-1996 • Scopus stronger journal representation outside US • Scopus tracks some non-English content • Access to much greater data detail
Z-Score Aggregation New Development • Method used in various domestic rankings such as The Times (UK) • Stabilise data year on year • More accurate application of weightings throughout the sample • Smoothes any anomalies that remain • Essentially smoothes the curve for each individual indicator
The Effect of Z-Score Application on Rankings Indicators New Development
Effects of 2007 developments… • Online System • More thorough and complete data all the way down the list • Less need for averages • Peer Review • Countries with disproportionately high response but a small number of institutions lose unnatural advantage • FTE Data • Universities with particularly high or low numbers for part-time will be influenced • Scopus • Less pronounced bias towards US and English speaking world • Z-Score aggregation • Less advantage for the best institutions in lower weighted indicators • Increased stability year on year
THE – QS World University Rankings THE RESULTS
THE – QS 1 Harvard 2= Cambridge 2= Yale 2= Oxford 5 Imperial 6 Princeton 7= Caltech 7= Chicago 8 UCL 10 MIT SHANGHAI Harvard Stanford Berkeley Cambridge MIT Caltech Columbia Princeton Chicago Oxford Comparing Results WEBOMETRICS MIT Stanford Harvard Penn State Berkeley Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Illinois Cornell
Arts & Humanities Chula (136) Thammasat (242=) Chiang Mai (396) Engineering & IT Chula (100) Chiang Mai (335=) Mahidol (335=) Kasetsart (346) Life Sciences & Biomedicine Mahidol (118) Chula (138) Kasetsart (266) KhonKaen (273=) Pronce of Songkla (307) Chiang Mai (347) Thammasat (353) Natural Sciences Chula (159) Chiang Mai (257) Mahidol (295=) Kasetsart (309) Social Sciences Chula (83=) Thammasat (197=) Mahidol (303) Chiang Mai (371=) Faculty Level: Thailand
The Results • Available at www.topuniversities.com • Top 100 for the following subject areas • Arts & Humanities • Engineering & IT • Life Sciences & BioMedicine • Natural Sciences • Social Sciences • World’s oldest universities • Year on year results
THE – QS World University Rankings Performance MEASUREMENT
QS Top Universities Benchmarking • Identify institutions with similar characteristics domestically or internationally • Understand comparative performance in much greater detail than the published results permit • Identify key strategies for development
THE – QS World University Rankings INTERNATIONAL BRANDING
Online marketing • Promote • Reach global market • Use institutional and other ‘voices’ • Optimize • Reduce administration • Utilise staff expertise effectively • Engage • Tune messages by segment • Be responsive to applicants • Measure • Track marketing campaigns • React to market changes
Who are “Generation Y”? • Impatient • Team players • Hungry for feedback • Don’t hold back • Fearless of technology • Seek stimulation • Believe in themselves • Sceptical • Street smart
Who are “Generation Y”? • 97% own a computer • 94% own a cell phone • 76% use Instant Messaging. • 15% of IM users are logged on 24 hours a day • 34% use websites as primary source of news • 28% own a blog and 44% read blogs • 49% download music using file sharing • 75% of US students have a Facebook account • 60% own portable music or video device e.g. iPod Source: Connecting to the Net.Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today's College Students, Reynol Junco and JeannaMastrodicasa (2007)
Life-cycle marketing • INTERESTED • CANDIDATE • ENQUIRER • APPLICATION • STARTED • APPLICATION • SUBMITTED • PLACE • OFFERED • OFFER • ACCEPTED
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) • Search engines all work differently and change frequently • 2 main factors: Web site itself and incoming links • Ensure site is search engine friendly – but avoid using tricks • Titles, headlines, content, meta tags • Site maps used extensively by search engines • Page titles should also attract human users: clear & provocative • Research keywords and phrases used by your prospects • 2 to 4 words usually less competitive • Include synonyms, plurals and misspellings • Keyword tools • Wordtracker, Yahoo! Suggestion Tool, Google Tool • Look at search words contained in your traffic logs • Links • Number, reputation and popularity • Industry hubs and directories • Press releases and free articles or feeds • Blogs, Forums and Social Networking
Paid Advertising • Three common pricing structures • CPM: Cost per thousand impressions • PPC: Cost per click • CPA: Cost per action (e.g. affiliate partners) • Keyword bidding • Typically 20 to 30 phrases or 300 to 400 “tail terms” • Use variety of word sequences and action words • Long terms (e.g. 4 words) offer better conversion rates • Use of others’ trademarks and names currently accepted • Congruency of landing pages
Paid Advertising • Numbers are important
www.topuniversities.com • Over 1,180,000 visits in 2007 • Over 6,000 visits per day in 2008 • Increasingly strong prominence in Google & Yahoo searches • Ranked 53,626 in Alexa • Home of the THE– QS World University Rankings • Institution Profiles • Detailed study abroad information
Banner advertising tips • Identify and measure objectives • Branding • Traffic • Conversion • Media plan • Target market • Related sites • Sites with similar demographics • Design • Clear message – 7 words or less • Eye catching but not obtrusive • Don’t overdo animation • Test
E-mail marketing • Define proposition(s) based on market segment and stage of lifecycle • Differentiators, USPs, value and proof points • Messages to attract – then support and convert • Identify tangible objectives and measurements for each campaign • Branding • Conversion • Message content • Keep it simple with a clear call to action • Ensure relevance of landing page(s) • E-mail design • Keep it simple – limit use of images • Check spelling and grammar • Privacy and security • Opt in / Opt out • Restrict access to personal data
Online applications • But we already have an application form
Online applications • Market adoption Source: QS Research – Web Survey
Online Offline Parity • When people who are aware of your brand online need to recognise it when they see it • Print • People • On campus
THE – QS World University Rankings CONCLUDING REMARKS…
Education is not about filling a pail, it’s about lighting a fire WB Yeats
Thank You Ben Sowter ben@qsnetwork.com