College and university rankings

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University rankings assess the quality of research and teaching at universities as well as faculty development on the basis of various criteria. Some rankings provide lists with individual rankings, others divide universities into different ranking groups. University rankings serve as a source of information for high school graduates, students, universities, employers, ministries and other interested parties.

Overview

Originally popular in the USA in particular, university rankings have also become established in Germany since the early 1990s. In Germany, rankings have been published by Spiegel, Focus, Handelsblatt, Junge Karriere, Wirtschaftswoche, Capital and the FAZ Hochschulanzeiger, among others. There are also global rankings such as World's Best Universities, The Times Higher Education Supplement World Ranking or the Academic Ranking of World Universities of the Jiaotong University Shanghai.

University rankings usually aim at presenting qualitative differences between individual subjects or subject groups of different universities. Among other things, these data are to be used as a basis for developing decision-making aids for various interest groups (e.g. first-year students, companies, political actors).

Critics consider university rankings to be unsuitable for university selection due to methodological deficiencies, inadequate data bases and highly generalised statements. All of these rankings have strengths and weaknesses, both in terms of methodology and data collection.

See also

• Top university
• Education controlling