LEUVEN, 25 November 2024 – Today, the leading universities of science and technology united within the CESAER association (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research), released a new report titled ‘Reimagining university rankings: exploring strategic priorities and alternatives’.
The full report (PDF) is available for download
The report builds on the joint workshop of CESAER’s Board of Directors and Task Force Benchmark which took place on 18 June 2024, hosted by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.
Led by CESAER’s Task Force Benchmark, this publication provides recommendations to enhance transparency, equity, and accountability in commercial university rankings. It advocates for adopting responsible evaluation frameworks and encourages universities of science and technology to consider endorsing the ‘More Than Our Rank’ initiative, as well as frameworks such as CoARA, DORA, and the Leiden Manifesto.
The workshop report features contributions from Paul Boselie (Chief of Open Science, Utrecht University), Manuela Höfler (Co-Director of the Open Science Office, University of Zürich), and Rüdiger Mutz (Senior Researcher, University of Zurich), who shared insights into their respective universities’ strategic decision not to submit data to commercial rankers. Ludo Waltman (Scientific Director at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies, CWTS, Leiden University) presented the new Open Edition of the CWTS Leiden Ranking.
“Universities of science and technology play a pivotal role in contributing to competitiveness and addressing global challenges,” stated Orla Feely (pictured right), President of CESAER and President of University College Dublin. “To fully capture their dynamic contributions and societal impact, it is essential to develop evaluation frameworks that highlight their unique strengths and the transformative value they bring to society.”
“We welcome the ongoing dialogue on the future of commercial rankings, emphasising the importance of transparent, and user-driven metrics that reflect the true value of universities across diverse contexts,” remarked Peter Elspass, Head of the President’s Staff Department of University Development & Controlling at Leibniz University Hannover and Chair of CESAER Task Force Benchmark.
“It is important to recognise the impact rankings can have on national funding decisions, institutional priorities, and students’ choices of study destinations,” said Touko Närhi, Advisor for Benchmark & Education at CESAER. “We should therefore ensure national policy makers, universities, funders, and students understand the effective use and limitations of rankings.”
For more information and media enquiries, contact CESAER’s Information & Communication Officer, Justine Moynat at https://www.cesaer.org/contact/