Universities must strive to improve

As the new academic year begins, the world university rankings deserve close attention

UAE University in Al Ain. (Sammy Dallal / The National)
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The UAE University has served this country well and set a commendably high academic standard to which other institutions aspire. Since its inception in 1976, it has prepared more than 57,000 people to play a role in building the country’s economy. It is encouraging to know that UAE University is continuing to excel, having risen more than 40 places to 385th place on this year’s QS World Rankings of the top 800 universities. It also occupied 11th place in the inaugural Times Higher Education rankings for the Mena region, followed by the American University of Sharjah at 17th and the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi at 20th. Six other UAE institutions also made the QS list, including AUS, which was in 390th place.

These rankings may not seem particularly relevant to students and their parents who are all looking at different criteria when “shopping” for a place to study. Not everybody has the ability, opportunity or desire to go to Harvard or Cambridge; they choose universities based on where they live or can live, what they can afford and, especially, the course of study they wish to undertake. To them, the university’s overall ranking is not as important as its amenity or excellence in a particular field.

In another sense, however, these world rankings are crucially important, because they cut to the heart of what universities are all about. Universities are in the business of disseminating knowledge and building upon it; in fostering unique, groundbreaking research and providing the highest possible standards of teaching. It is important that our universities rank highly among comparable institutes around the world, because these rankings provide benchmarks of achievement.

To achieve this, universities need to carry out constant assessment of their own performance, strive to recruit the very best staff and invest heavily in research. They must focus on their own efforts and on the part they play in the educational landscape. The goal to achieve a knowledge-based economy depends on the success of all education institutions across the country.