Ranking (University Ranking)

Rankings

An ordered listing of institutions based on defined performance indicators, intended to compare and benchmark quality at global, national, regional or subject level.

Common indicators include research output and citations, reputation surveys, teaching resources, internationalisation and graduate outcomes. Because methodologies differ, the same institution can rank differently across systems such as QS, Times Higher Education and NIRF.

Related Terms
QS World University Rankings
A widely cited annual global ranking of universities produced by Quacquarelli Symonds, using indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations and international diversity.
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings
A prominent annual global university ranking published by Times Higher Education, assessing research-intensive universities across teaching, research, citations, industry and international outlook.
NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework)
A government-backed methodology in India that ranks higher education institutions annually across categories such as overall, universities, engineering, management, medical and law.
AIRI (All India Rankings of Institutions)
A category of national-level ranking exercises that compare higher education institutions across a country on parameters such as teaching, research and outcomes.
ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities)
The 'Shanghai Ranking', a research-heavy global university ranking emphasising publications, citations and major awards.