Ranking universities r0rts in South - Index of /

(1)

15

ippine universities UP Diliman, DLSU, UPLB, ADMU, Xavier, UST, UP Sys- tem, UP Manila, UP Mindanao, and MSU-IIT.

Like Webometrics and 4Internation- aI, Top Study treats the UP System asa different school from the UP campus- es, probably because the UP System has its own website. That should sho'w you something about how credible

these three are. <

Less important are rankings done by newspapers, such asNewsweek (discon- tinued), Asiaweek (defunct), and U.S.

News and World Report (ranking only American schools).

The least credible world rankings are the Russia-based Global Universi- ty Ranking (which lists Moscow State University as better than Harvard and Cambridge) and the Paris-based Pro- fessional Ranking of World Universi- ties (which lists five French universities among the top 20 in the world).

Why are world university rankings important? It's not just bragging rights that are at stake here. Getting into these lists is crucial to the existence of our higher education institutions. The top universities in these lists attract the best scholars, teachers, and students around the world, as well as huge grants and funds from international organizations and foundations.

If we want to get big money for research and development, we have to invest money on getting into these lists.

Of course, if we invest peanuts on faculty salaries, research equipment, and travel to international conferences, we get peanuts, too. We will rely completely on tuition income, which - li~e OFW remittances - can just disappeilr without warning ..

TEACHING TIP OF THE WEEK.

From Berkeley comes this simple a~- vice: Make students commit mistakes.

Instead of only ensuring that students pass, good teachers provide op- Dortunities for students :0 fail. That sounds counter-intuitive,but reseaf':r shows that good teachers help sfllCl.ertJ:s to learn from mistakes.

Here are two anecdotes from the Berkeley site (teaching.berkeley.edu):

"Several excellent teachers stress the importance of giving students an op- portunity to practice (and even to fai{)I I I • , 1"1 -.},-..

By ISAGANI CRUZ

Ranking universities

MINI CRITIQUE

The Philippine STAR

EDUCA TION

lors in British schools

i

I

10

complement

r0rts in South

There are several lists of the best universities around the world.

The most prestigious is that compiled by Shanghai Jiaotong Universi- ty, which ranks only 1,200 universities, basedon Nobel Prizes won by faculty, articles published in the journals Nature and Science, and entries in the Science Citation Index and Social Sci- ences Citation Index.

The second most prestigious is the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which looks only at "the world's top universities ranked exclusively on their reputation for teaching and research." It bases its ranking on an opinion survey of 13,000 academics from 131 countries.

Although completely subjectiye and not even statistically valid (the respon- dents are not randomly selected), THE is curiously considered objective.

The third most prestigious is High Impact Universities Research Perfor- mance Index, which bases its rankings of 1,000 universities on the g-index of Scopus (an objective measure of research output). Since ouruniversities are not exactly strong in research we

I ",Vllall IVlall~alla~ "" ••••IIW~ '.'_'I~_I'U.~ d f '

, 0 not igure in Shanghai, THE, or

Education Network (SGEN). SFU is one of the High Impact.

'ons under the SGEN. The best known, because it is very

give Filipino families an edge by giving their well m~rketed, is

9S

World Universi- daughters a chance to be enrolled in selected ty Rankings, complIed by Quacquarel- ly-recognized educational institutions abroad li Symonds" a commercial group that r case the UK, USA, and Australia; and allow prides itself on organizing "the larg- finish these courses and receive their diplo- est business education events in the m these schools ~ven ri9ht. here in the Philip- world." B.eca~se its b~siness consists

rthey could receIve then fnst two-year certif- of. m~tchmg .mternatlOnal students re and continue their studies in these schools' wIth mternahonal programs, it bases

~esabroad." its rankings on academic peer review,

Icarefully adheres to the standards of its part- employer review, citations per facul-

rols

in delivering their curricula and teaching ty, student f~culty ra.tio, international

~s. Some of these partner institutions are the ' faculty, and mternatlOnal students.

~excel, the largest international awarding body Q~ .lists as the top 10 Philippine uni- red by the UK government, International Col- verslhes UP, Ateneo, UST, DLSU, San IHotel Management in Adelaide, Australia and Carlos, lv1SU,Silliman, Saturnino Uri- lversity of Sunderland. Some of SFU's affiliates os, Adamson, and Central .\IindaIlao.

~ the London Metropolitan University; South- The ranli,g that monitors tne most rvHampshire University, USA, International number ot schools is 1Sebometrics imd TOUTism

&

Training Institute (IHTTI) in Ranking ot 'iYorldL-ni\'ersities, It r1andand Arkansas State University in US. bases its ranking

or

more than 19,000

~d Diamante, "SFU graduates enjoy a batting s~hools on exter~al i~links, w~b r:age

r

of 95 to 100 percent employability soon after ~lze, number of nch flIes, and cltahons

~on, whether overseas or in local corporations." m Google Scholar.

r offers courses in Business, Computing and Y':eb~metri~s lis.ts as the top ten

~lity Management and Leisure and Tourism, in- Phlhppme umverslties UP Diliman,

nr1111in;mr Art ••Pm mmp inl111iripfi. rnntrlrt th~ DLSU, Ateneo, UPLB, UP System,, .",,,

..

l'

helpingoversee the school building projects,

.fexpect all construction work to be fully com-

y December. next yeal'. '

eer Nasser Sinarimbo, ASFP manager, said the

Iuilding project is a common initiative of the pent and JICA meant to provide quality educa- poor sectors in the South.

fhas been actively helping push forward the

~ao peace process through its costly projects

~enting the socio-economic component of the tyear negotiation between the government and

roIslamic Liberation Front.

'apanese government has also been helping en-

~government-MILF ceasefire through its civil- resentatives to the Malaysian-led International png Team, whose members include soldiers and

~enfrom Malaysia, Brunei and Libya, and non-

~ed monitors from Norway and the European

!

(2)

~nors in British schools

Julius Mangahas Jonah Mangahas

[)IVlDUALIZED. Each student entering the ACE ramis given diagnostic tests to determine skill and

~t mastery, and he is prescribed a curriculum at

~rformance level. Students work in individual af-

IDpromote maximum concentration and minimize Ktions.

~STERY-BASED. Academics and methodology

l

are based on ph:'siological development patterns liblical PriI1ciples. pro-

nastery learnirlg, criti- I2.Iysis.conceptualiza- [Ignith'e reasoning, and

Irr'.G...,dcsperspective.

,,·,.'hat makes a school

lE:1:) The iou...."ldation

~ol excellent?

based curriculum. 3H utilizes the SOT system.

[hat makes this svstem distinc,j:ive and effective?

BLICAL. Each academic area is studied from the (s viewpoint: Math as principles of God's order;

ruage as God's gift to communicate to Him and to

rs;Social Studies as God's sovereignty over all his- rand Science as God's design in creation.

fIARACTER-BASED. Honesty, kindness, loyalty

~7other character traits are taught within the cur- iIln to develop students' interpersonal relation-

~al Education Network (SGEN). SFU is one of the .tutions under the SGEN.

We give Filipino families an edge by giving their

5and daughters a chance to be enrolled in selected

Ihighly-recognized educational institutions abroad hour case the UK, USA, and Australia; and allow

r

to finish these courses and receive their diplo-

~from these schools even right here in the Philip- b.Or they could receive their first two-year certif-

ehere and continue their studies in these schools' ipuses abroad."

fU carefully adheres to the standards of its part- schools in delivering their curricula and teaching

~ods. Some of these partner institutions are the .

~Edexcel, the largest international awarding body

~oved by the UK government, International Col-

i:of Hotel Management in Adelaide, Australia and pniversity of Sunderland. Some of SFU's affiliates

~de the London Metropolitan University; South- New Hampshire University, USA, International

~l and Tourism & Training Institute (IHTTl) in Izerland and Arkansas State University in US.

!dded Diamante, "SFU graduates enjoy a batting flge of 95 to 100 percent employability soon after iuation, whether overseas or in local corporations."

fU offers courses in Business, Computing and pitality Management and Leisure and Tourism, in-

~g Culinary Arts. For more inquiries, contact the promotions and admissions department at: (632)

~81, (632)8206774. (632)8201404,(632)8205952.

II'L-~••~~••._-.-. -_~-~-..-. -•.-.~"".:_IIll!~-.,"!!'~-.,_!I",-_ ••~-_~-"'!. , •••.•.-:~!II'.ll!II_,.__ IIll!:"!!':,""."!!'-,_:~"!","'!!'_"~".,:"-:-". -".11II" ,.,-, -_••" •••• ,••~ •••:-.-.', .••,:~~_-::~,-:-~:••

~,~=-- .... ~~~_ .• _~.--

-=•• ~ ••:- ••:~•••-'.t2••:--IlllIL"~: r~l\.':"12:"'C7'~)IIll!,••,^'1:-:'S:-:Z~IlllI~i:':"t~:eC~·J\~·7:\a:;"e:I:·u::n::c::t":'),-a~1:-1,-"Ti~U"';-"';.5~.

t,c =--.ei ;nC-:-U:::5 .2wm :\'or'\\'ay ana the European ranked exclusively on theirreputation News and World Report (ranking only

ac:", for teaching and research." It bases its American schools).

ranking on an opinion survey of The least credible world rankings 13,000 academics from 131 countries. are the Russia-based Global Universi- Although completely subjectiye and ty Ranking (which lists Moscow State not even statistically valid (the respon- University as better than Harvard and dents are not randomly selected), THE Cambridge) and the Paris-based Pro- is curiously considered objective. fessional Ranking of World Universi-

The third most prestigious is High ties (which lists five French universi- Impact Universities Research Perfor- ties among the top 20 in the world).

mance Index, which bases its rankings Why are world university rankings of 1,000 universities on the g-index of important? It's not just bragging rights Scopus (an objective measure of re- that are at stake here. Getting into these search output). Since our universities lists is crucial to the existence of our are not exactly strong in research, we higher education institutions. The top do not figure in Shanghai, THE, or universities in these lists attract the

High Impact. best scholars, teachers, and students

The best known, because it is very around the world, as well as huge well marketed, is QS World Universi- grants and funds from international ty Rankings, compiled by Quacquarel- organizations and foundations.

li Symonds, a commercial group that If we want to get big money for re- prides itself on organizing "the larg- search and development, we have to est business education events in the invest money on getting into these lists.

world." Because its business consists Of course, if we invest peanuts on fa~- of matching international students ulty salaries, research equipment, and with international programs, it bases travel to international conferences, we its rankings on academic peer review, get peanuts, too. We will rely complete- employer review, citations per facul- ly on tuition income, which - li~e ty, student faculty ratio, international OFW remittances - can just disappear faculty, and international students. without warning.

QS lists as the top 10 Philippine uni- TEACHING TIP OF THE WEEl(.

versities UP, Ateneo, UST, DLSU, San From Berkeley comes this simple qq- Carlos, MSU, Silliman, Saturnino Uri- vice: Make students commit mistakes.

os, Adamson, and Central ?v1indanao. Instead of only ensuring that stu- The ranking that monitors the most dents pa'ss, good teachers provide o'p- number of schools is Webometrics portunities for students to fail. That Ranking of vVmld Universities. It sounds counter-intuitive, but re~ear'ch bases its rankingofillore than 19,000 shows that good teachers help shidertfs schools on external inlinks, web page to learn from mistakes. ' size, number of rich files, and citations Here are two anecdotes from the in Google Scholar Berkeley site (teaching.berkeley.edu):

Webometrics lists as the top ten "Several excellent teachers stress tl1e Philippine universities

LT

Diliman, importance of giving students an op- DLSU, Ateneo, UPLB, ^--r;p System, portunity to practice (and even to faif) UST, Xavier, UP Mindanao, UP Ma-, in a nonpunitive environment. A bID- nila, and MSU-IIT. chemistry professor, for example, points

Also based only on Web statistics out that the data in stw;1.entlaboratory is 4International Colleges &Univer- reports can easily be faked; therefore his sities, "an international higher educa- ,main concern is that students und~x- tion search engine and directory re- stand why their experimental results viewing accredited universities and failed and not that they get the right re- colleges in the world." 4International sults. 'If students can analyze and ex- monitors 10,000 colleges and univer- plain why their results failed,' he says, sities in 200 countries, ranking them 'I give them full credit for their lab re- in terms of web popularity. It bases.its ports. I emphasize that everyone makes ranking on three search engines: Goo- mistakes; what is important is to learn gle Page Rank, Yahoo Inbound Links, how to profit from them.'

and Alexa Traffic Rank. ^ffA professor of English says, 'I try 4Internationallists as the top ten to set a tone in which students c'an Philippine universities the UP System, readily admit that something went Ateneo, UPLB, Aquinas, DLSU, UP wrong in their bibliographic search.

Diliman, MSU-IIT, UST, UE, and San Because the course fo12useson master-

Carlos. ing a methodology and a range of bi~-

Not prestigious but useful to stu- liographic skills, I encourage them to dents looking for universities is Top share their mistakes and explore the Study Links, which bases its rankings reasons for them with the group ratQ- on size, visibility, research papers, and er than masking those mistakes in fa-

scholars. vor of a finished, but mediocre, re-

Top Study lists as the top ten Phil- search product.'" '