Brussels 25.06.2014: Recognizing student's role and participation in ranking systems

aMiguel Gallardo Albajar

Projects Director

European Students' Forum, AEGEE

EUROPEAN STUDENTS’ FORUM

RECOGNISING STUDENTS’ROLE AND PARTICIPATION IN

RANKING SYSTEMS

MIGUEL GALLARDO ALBAJAR

CAPTURING THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONOF UNIVERSITY RANKINGS

PURPOSE OF UNIVERSITIES

•Research – push society forward•Education:

• Prepare for labour market• Enable graduates to be effective citizens

Different stakeholders – different prioritiesChan, R., Brown, G. T., & Ludlow, L. (2014). What is the purpose of higher education?: A comparison of institutional and student perspectives on the goals and purposes of completing a bachelor’s degree in the 21st century

6TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON UNIVERSITY RANKINGS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE 2014


Many rankings focus only on research dimension

ADVANTAGESMore objective indicatorsData is easier to collect

DISADVANTAGESNot so useful for most students (undergraduates)Leaves out of the picture many universities



•In Europe:• Diversity of Higher Education Institutions HEIs• All needs of society are covered• Some are excluded from existing rankings

•Need for a more inclusive tool.


THE STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVEON UNIVERSITY RANKINGS

Why students use rankings?

MOBILITY becomes necessary

•Undergraduate – Mobility Programs (Erasmus+)

•Postgraduate – Master•Postgraduate – Doctorate

Each one has different needs - challenge



Diversity of students AND diversity of HEIs

Hard to match in a single ranking

SOLUTION: multidimensional approach



What do Students look for in a university?•Quality of Education

•Affordability (tuition fees + cost of living)•International dimension•Employability


Other: Leisure and cultural lifeSustainabilitySupport for their initiativesEquality

INVOLVING STUDENTS IN MULTI-DIMENSIONAL RANKING

Students and U-Multirank

•Development – advisory board• What are relevant indicators • Usability and design

•Indicators – student survey



Student surveys raise concerns•Subjectivity

•Lack of perspective for comparing•Sample size

But:Only tool available to measure some indicators.

NOTE: Indicators can be excluded if not trusted.


USING U-MULTIRANK AS A STUDENT

Examples of student use


CONCLUSION

U-Multirank covers well the needs for students

•Powerful tool - easy to use•Includes students’ criteria•Informed decisions for mobility

For the next versions:

•More fields of study•Some indicators to add: sustainability, equality


THANK YOU

Miguel Gallardo [email protected]

@miguelAEGEE

www.aegee.org


Brussels 25.06.2014: Recognizing student's role and participation in ranking systems

Education

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