By MIKOspace
The DARK SIDES of QS World Universities Ranker
Singapore
Universities have recently been ranked at the Top by what most Academics and
the United Nations Education agency, UNESCO, generally considered to be Bogus Ranking Standards of Dubious
Excellence.
Singapore
University NTU has secured top placing as the world's best young university,
according to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Universities Ranking, one of three
major international university ranking systems.
The London-based QS World Universities Ranking has been called “a Fraud on the public.” Another
Eminent Professor said: “QS simply
doesn’t do as good a job as the other rankers that are using multiple
indicators”.
Eminent
Professor Simon Marginson of then Melbourne University remarked of QS that: “I do think social science-wise it’s so
weak that you can’t take the results seriously”.
A
Reporter also claimed that QS has used the threat of legal action to try to
silence critics. “QS has twice threatened publications with legal action when
publishing my bona fide criticisms of QS. One was The Australian: in that case
QS prevented my criticisms from being aired. The other case was University
World News, which refused to pull my remarks from its website when threatened
by QS with legal action”.
The
QS World Universities Ranking, like other Universities Rankings, is in essence
deficient in terms of social science, but QS has been criticized for more than
just its unsound, questionable and unscientific Methodology:
1) THES
DID drop QS for Methodological Reasons. QS’ use of peer and industry surveys is highly
questionable with very low response rate returns from huge number of
unspecified respondents of unknown expertise.
Read the best explanation by QS’s former partner …
2) The
Most Stinging Criticism is the Sale of Dubious QS-Star Ratings. One wonders
which self-respecting University would “buy” QS-Stars and actually use them for
Marketing. Singapore NTU (39) and MIT
(1) both have 5+QS-Stars. As did the Universities of Waterloo (169), Monash
(70) and Queensland (43). However, the Universities of of Cambridge (2),
Harvard (3), Stanford University (4), Caltech (5) … have only 5 QS-Stars. Brackets contain QS 2014 Rankings. Note the UNRELIBILITY of QS Rankings vs
QS-Stars, and therefore their absurd claims to VALIDITY and Credibility.
3) And
the Highly Lucrative "Consultancy" to help Universities Rise Up the
QS Rankings. Need to say more
regarding QS’ commercial rather than Academic or Quality motivation?
4) QS
offers "Opportunities" for Branding from just $80,000 with QS
Showcase. Another QS’ innovative commercial “Value” Service if Academic
Reputation of Excellence is not enough to attract students.
5) QS
Reputation Survey has Weak Protocols, as demonstrated by this case of
blatant manipulation. An Irish University President has, AGAINST QS’ Expressed
Rules, asked all faculty members and other academic employees at his
institution to each recruit three people from other universities to register to
vote in the survey of university reputations.
QS allows Universities to encouraging people to sign up for the QS peer
review survey, as long as they don't suggest favoring any one institution. Now,
how does this actually work, seriously?
6) Finally,
QS's business practices (fined GBP 80,000 or US$ 128,648 for using unlicensed
software) leave an awful lot to be desired. Maybe, it’s just bad planning,
inadequate IT policies or simply a lack of awareness. Clearly, an Integrity issue for any Company
desiring its Products to be viewed with Respect and Credibility.
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