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The Gap at the Top: Real Concern or Red Herring?

The Gap at the Top: Real Concern or Red Herring?. Stephen Tallman E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor. The Rankings Gap Does Exist. Rankings 2013-14 Top 200 include:. Times Higher Education World University. 13 Emerging Market nation universities. 3 BRICS nation universities.

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The Gap at the Top: Real Concern or Red Herring?

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  1. The Gap at the Top: Real Concern or Red Herring? Stephen Tallman E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor

  2. The Rankings Gap Does Exist • Rankings 2013-14 Top 200 include: • Times Higher Education World University • 13 Emerging Market nation universities • 3 BRICS nation universities • QS World University Rankings Top 200 /2013 show: • 28 Emerging Market nation universities • 10 BRICS nation universities

  3. And is NOT Evenly Distributed THE: • Brazil – 0 in top 200; 2 in the 200-400 range • Russia – 1 in the 200-400 range (plus some high-ranked specialist institutes) • India – 5 in 200-400 (including 4 IIT) • China – 2 in top 200; 8 in 200-400 • South Africa – 1 in top 200

  4. BRIC National Planning • Brazil: “13th ranked producer of new knowledge” • Russia: 5 in the top 100 by 2020 – Putin • India: “We must play the same game” • China: Huge resources and a state-backed drive to build world class universities

  5. but…BRIC Outcomes Grads of the top 10-15 BRIC institutions are the equal of grads from the US top 20, even if their schools are not in the top world rankings. & The returns to university educations in this group of countries are increasing (although at different rates) -Carnoy et al.

  6. So....Three Questions Emerge 1. Are the BRICs and other emerging market nations doing the right thing, but failing to gain recognition? Leading to: 2. Is the game rigged? 3. How can we do things right?

  7. THE Criteria • Research – 30% • Citations – 30% • Learning environment – 30% • Undergrad teaching related – 25.5% • Reputation & PhD – 4.5% • Internationalism – 7.5% • Industry research ties – 2.5% = Total research related – 74.5%

  8. Doing Things Right:Climbing the League Tables • Increase research output – time & money • Increase citations in Web of Science [English language] journals • Bring in foreign students & faculty and ‘promote the brand’ Hire foreign or foreign-trained faculty and encourage and support research scholarship

  9. The Star System in Action Mk1

  10. BUT … What does this do, anyway? • Increases the cost of the educational system while targeting the elite schools • Pulls the high potential faculty out of the classroom, especially the u/g classroom • Investing in researchers generally leads to shorting teachers • Importing stars devours budgets

  11. The Star System in Action Mk2

  12. So....Three Alternative Questions? Are the league tables a distraction, suggesting that national priorities are being shaped by publicity demands? And further: 2. Does the game matter? 3. What IS the right thing to do?

  13. THE Criteria: Doing the Wrong Thing? • Research – 30% • Citations – 30% • Learning environment – 30% • Undergrad teaching related – 25.5% • Reputation & PhD – 4.5% • Internationalism – 7.5% • Industry research ties – 2.5% = Total research related – 74.5%

  14. Doing the Right Thing:Indigenous Development of HE • Building more LOCALLY high-quality undergraduate programs, especially STEM programs, economics, IT, other development-oriented programs • Economic and institutional development • Individual investment and payoff • High quality technical and practical education • German system • US community colleges • Research by and for local context as an emergent skill

  15. Innovation: In and Beyond the Universities • Raising productivity and rewards in the economy – privatize both costs and benefits of education at all levels • Cultural change – respect for the craftsman & entrepreneur • Educational change – • Fundamental research is mobile; focus on exploitative research & learning skills • Education and training for industry needs • Apprenticeships and work-study programs • Fewer overeducated, undertrained, under-employed grads (hundreds of thousands of Indian & Chinese ‘engineers’? Already bloated government sectors?)

  16. Universities:Going Beyond the League Tables • Mass education matters, especially in BRICs • Employment matters, especially in BRICs • Innovation matters, but is not the same as “scholarly research” • If creating a few elite research institutions distract from societal goals, then rankings are - Perhaps not just red herrings but poison bait!

  17. Thank You Stephen Tallman E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor

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