When choosing a university, students, parents, researchers, potential faculty members and funders turn to ranking systems for an objective insight into the world of higher education. However, university rankings and league tables should be used as a support tool alongside broader research, data and qualitative insights to make informed decisions.
Each ranking system has a different methodology, focusing on different indicators. For example, QS ranks universities on a global scale taking into account the academic reputation of institutions and their ability to attract international staff and students; ARWU, on world-renowned research; and THE, on student outcomes.
The graduation rate (in %) is an important indicator of the quality of education provided by universities. This is measured by calculating the proportion of first-year undergraduate students that return to complete their degree, averaged over three years. This is a highly weighted factor in the ranking, demonstrating that students enjoy their learning environment and find employment upon graduation.
Universities with high research intensity are also rewarded in the ranking through their citation per publication. To level the playing field, U.S. News converts a school’s citation count to a normalized value, allowing comparison between schools of very different sizes and with different publication habits.
International outlook is a key factor for THE and QS, which look at the proportion of international staff and students, as well as collaboration with foreign universities. This metric is particularly important for students with an interest in studying abroad and/or who wish to gain work experience in another country.