Pros and Cons of University Ranking - Essay Example

University ranking has a rich history dating back to the 1900s focusing on various in indicators to generate a rating scale. The ranking focused on students’ performance following university education as opposed to the success of faculties and departments in the institution. However, this was revised to rate the quality of education offered at various learning institutions. In light of this, university ranking aims at evaluating the quality of education based on various indicators such as research, infrastructure, service delivery, and human resource ratios and qualifications.

Indicator scores are usually aggregated to determine the composite score, which is used in rating the academic success of universities. Ranking of higher education institutions can be done by the media, government agencies, professional bodies, funding organizations, and individual initiatives.The ranking hopes to raise awareness on the ranked institutions as well as illustrate academic trends across the globe. University rankings are known to provide potential students with relevant information when selecting courses and learning institutions.

This helps students adopt a choice that is best suited for their needs relating to academics and extracurricular activities. For instance, from research on institutions offering a course of choice, one can make a concrete decision on an institution based on its ranking position. The decision made follows the evaluation of the institution’s performance, capacity, and success rate in offering the desired course. This serves to enhance transparency in information disbursement among the ranked institutions (Rauhvargers 20).

Consequently, university ranking systems have been illustrated to encourage student enrolment by highlighting preferences in accordance to their target. This is evidenced by the establishment of rankings based on faculty performance, which is easier to interpret when choosing an institution. The system serves as an efficient tool where students can evaluate their aspirations and decide on the institution that will best serve them. Rankings often encompass information collected from students through questionnaires and thus, represent the true image of the given institution.

Students express their sentiments of their experience in the institution with regard to service delivery and facilities. Varsity rankings have served to ensure accountability from education providers. This is achieved by ensuring that the institution remains credible and relevant in the education sector. Accountability entails committing to quality education by fulfilling their mandate to deliver high-achieving students within the rankings standards. The rating standings serve as accountability instruments for the public to evaluate based on the performance (Escotet).

Ranking allows an institution’s management in assessing their performance against goals and objectives set with the hope of improving the results. The process involves collection of information on various aspects of higher learning, which is the utilized in generating demographic report used in policymaking. Ranking institutions of higher education also works to assist the university make improvements in various sectors flagged as weak points. Learning institution can recognize their strengths and weakness through academic evaluations.

The ranking is known to influence the decision-making process by the university management, which is reflected in its policies. The management is inclined to strategize depending on the ranking system to maximize its output in order to improve performance. An institution can analyses its ranking metrics and revise its approach on various aspects of service delivery to drive success. In this way, institutions of higher learning have an opportunity to improve their standards with regard to quality of education offered.

Depending on its rating, an institution can establish self-improvement tools such as quality assurance