The good news is that the University of Peradeniya was ranked 401-500 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020 last month.

The bad news is that the overall performance in the rankings of Sri Lanka’s universities is weak when compared to the western world and many Asian nations. China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and India count multiple universities among the world’s top 500. It is perhaps time to change this situation among our many state universities, to gain a better reputation for higher education in Asia on a consistent basis. Globally, the three main rankings are compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings; Times Higher Education (THE); and Shanghai Ranking Consultancy – Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), which assess universities on multiple factors. Universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and Yale University are consistently recognised as among the best in all rankings year after year. The University of Peradeniya is still ranked only 1,896 in the QS World University Rankings 2021. The University of Colombo is ranked outside the top 1,000 in both QS and THE. It is a matter of prestige for a country to have many universities in the top 100 or top 200 in all three of these rankings. In the QS Rankings, 20 nations have at least one university among the top 100, almost 30 have among the top 200, and almost 50 have among the top 500. Sri Lanka is not among them. In fact, no Sri Lankan university is among the top 1,000 in QS, although 293 Asian universities are. Of the top 100, the US has 27, the UK 18, and Australia seven. But many Asian universities have been climbing up the rankings, and no less than 26 are in the top 100. China and South Korea each have six and Hong Kong another five. Singapore has two and both Malaysia and Taiwan have one each. QS assessment criteria It is of course easier for a full university with many faculties in different disciplines to have a stronger ranking than a specialised university. Thus, the University of Colombo would always have a far higher ranking than the Ocean University of Sri Lanka.   Assessment of current situation It is important to obtain a thorough understanding of why a university is ranked low and what its shortcomings are. Obtaining the views of students and faculty is important in this regard, as are surveys of employers and the public. It also wouldn’t hurt to hire professional consultants who render advice on a master plan to improve overall rankings. It would help to rate other institutions for meta-analysis on the same attributes. The repeat functionality of surveys is a simple and efficient way of gathering student feedback and enhancing the credibility of the university. Academic standards and reputation What’s the difference between a village school and the leading schools in Colombo and Kandy? It’s the academic standard of the leading schools, built up and consistently maintained over many years. The same applies for the reputation of universities. That said, it doesn’t take a lifetime to turn around any institution. Reputation of faculty How good is your faculty? Do they have multiple qualifications? How many books have they written? How many papers have they published? How much research has been done? How many conferences were addressed? Career prospects of graduates One of the most important points is how much students can boost their job prospects by choosing a particular university. Are graduates of a particular university sought after by leading global and Sri Lankan companies? A university doesn’t have to be Oxford or Cambridge for this to happen. One of the UK’s most prestigious and respected universities among employers is the University of Glasgow, a member of the Russell Group, with strong ties to almost 10,000 employers and a large alumni network around the world. Graduation rate What’s the percentage of students who graduate within four years when enrolled in a four-year degree programme? On the other hand, many universities with top degrees are often the most selective, elite-specific colleges. They accept only exceptional, high-performance students, so that more of them graduate. Cutting-edge research Much of the world’s advances in all academic fields – medicine, law, sociology, physics, biology – come from research-oriented universities. These advances and patents are highly sought after by companies, as are the faculty and students who invent them. So the more cutting edge research a university carries out, the better its reputation. Vocational research A major role that a university plays is equipping students with skills that match the job market. It is therefore vital for universities to be fully aware of the employment requirements of a country into the future. There’s no point in having a high percentage of lawyers if your country and the global job market actually require electricians. The first step in educational policy information support in the shifts from unemployment to job policy are the results of research on vocational training. Job markets increasingly present new demands for knowledge, credentials, and abilities, and vocational training is the first step forward in the pursuit of a sustainable life, prosperity, and integrity. [caption id="attachment_91059" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sarachchandra Open-Air Theatre located inside the University of Peradeniya.[/caption] Industry partnerships A list of foreign institutions is given in the Times Higher Education World Rankings industry income pillar, where universities in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America are at their highest. The pillar estimates the sum of research industry revenue per university employee, a metric for the transfer of their expertise. Companies are interested in research and form an important part of their revenues for universities that score well in this pillar. The schools, however, drive the industry for more than profits. It is a way to make a meaningful difference to society and educate students in the real world. Undergraduate programmes The more undergraduate programmes that a university conducts, the wider its reach and reputation and its connectivity with society and the world. Thus, universities should constantly be looking at how best to expand their undergraduate programmes. Graduate programmes Somewhat akin to undergraduate programmes, a graduate programme has the added importance that much of a university’s research and teaching must be borne by graduate students, whether at a master’s level or doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. Brand strategy for university It is important to focus on student experience in the institution and the academic offering. Universities must meet a higher education “brand strategy”, as with any organisation that is competing with others. Don’t fall back. Keep the curriculum up-to-date to reflect changing market conditions and higher education dynamics. The growing impact of globalisation should be taken into account. This has brought not only new academic topics but also institutions for non-traditional students and the elderly. Your university must try to manage these changes successfully to strengthen brand positioning and reputation. Collaboration and engagement It makes sense to start developing a better image for each Sri Lankan university brand in order to boost rankings. Operating together with foreign universities and with international academics attracts international exposure. Recruitment of international staff The recruiting of foreign staff to make their university courses easier for international students is a major move that demonstrates the global vision of a university. The good news is that given that there are so few international staff in most Sri Lankan universities, it is easy to significantly improve by a few new faculty members each year.