The Institute for Higher Education Policy, a Washington-based research group, has set up an online resource devoted to the fast-growing field of university-ranking tables.
More than 30 countries now produce such compilations, and there are also several international tables that compare institutions across national boundaries.
The institute’s Ranking Systems Clearinghouse provides links to the various ranking systems, as well as access to ranking-related materials, including journal articles and “newsletters focusing on specific ranking topics such as access and equity, impact on institutional decision making, impact on student decision making, policy development, and world-class universities.”
In 2006 the institute was a host of a meeting in Berlin that resulted in the formulation of the Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher Education Institutions, a set of best practices for such compilations. —Aisha Labi
