خلاصة:
First edition of University Impact Ranking (UIR) has been published, and although it’s still in a process of rapid evolution, the result is likely to substantially influence the long-term development of higher education systems across the world based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aims to analyze and critique the principal ranking system prepared by Times Higher Education which assess universities against the SDGs. This study investigated the reliability of Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking (UIR) and attempted to identify its contribution and impact of participating universities on their societies. Taking an explanatory case study approach, this study used observation, document study, and experts’ reflection as data collection methods. The findings suggest that UIR does not contribute sufficiently to identification of universities that have a good impact on their societies to achieve SDGs.
ملخص الجهاز:
org/0000-0003-0530-8621 Received: 18 April 2020 Accepted: 19 October 2020 Abstract First edition of University Impact Ranking (UIR) has been published, and although it's still in a process of rapid evolution, the result is likely to substantially influence the long-term development of higher education systems across the world based on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The findings suggest that UIR does not contribute sufficiently to identification of universities that have a good impact on their societies to achieve SDGs. Keywords: Times Higher Education, University Impact Ranking, United Nations, Sustainable Development, Cross-Sectional Analysis, Iranian Universities.
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking which assessed universities against 11 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) of the United Nations’ in order to understand whether it has placed universities in the right position or not.
The concept of “quality” and methods to properly measure the quality in higher education have been addressed as a theoretical issue (Dogan & Al, 2019; Kiraka, Maringe, Kanyutu & Mogaji, 2020).
It uses carefully “calibrated indicators to provide comprehensive and balanced comparisons across three broad areas: research, outreach, and stewardship” (Times Higher Education: University Impact Ranking 2019).
The main criteria to select cases was the multiples of 10 to include the cases from the different position of the table in the UIR system and compared their position in other university ranking systems, such as Times Higher Education and the QS World University Rankings.