University rankings have been a growing obsession in the higher education industry in recent years. These yearly lists, which are released by institutions such as QS and Times Higher Education, are currently considered the benchmark for evaluating academic achievement. Increasing rankings has been a top priority for many universities, particularly in developing nations, and it influences everything from daily operations to strategic planning. Increased money, international prestige, and a surge in overseas students are all enticing. Beneath this shiny exterior, however, is a disturbing truth: the constant quest for improved rankings frequently comes at the expense of the teaching staff, who are the backbone of institutions.
University rankings significantly impact institutional priorities. They are based on factors including research productivity, international collaborations, and student-to-faculty ratios. Although these metrics may represent specific facets of quality, they sometimes oversimplify the intricate goal of an institution. The emphasis on clearly quantifiable metrics— such as the quantity of published research articles or the influx of overseas students— frequently results in the neglect of less tangible yet equally essential factors, including teaching quality, mentorship, and community involvement. Universities, striving to improve their rankings, may allocate money to research infrastructure and foreign collaborations, often at the expense of addressing the fundamental needs of their teaching faculty.
The roles and responsibilities of faculty members have undergone a significant change as a result of this change in emphasis. Being a committed instructor is no longer sufficient; faculty members are increasingly expected to be active grant writers, researchers, and worldwide networkers. Academic value is frequently determined by metrics rather than significant contributions to society or student learning because of the pressure to publish in high-impact journals and obtain research funding. Faculty now have to balance teaching, research, administrative responsibilities, and the ongoing requirement to record all activities for performance reviews linked to institutional ranking goals, which has resulted in an increase in workloads.
The situation is made worse by the ongoing dearth of resources and assistance for faculty, especially in institutions of the Third World. A large number of faculty members are forced to teach in crowded classrooms with antiquated technology, small offices, and limited access to relevant labs. As universities add more levels of bureaucracy to meet the requirements of accreditation and rating organizations, the administrative load has also increased. Faculty members become frustrated and burn out as a result of having less time and energy for genuine instruction and student involvement.
This trend affects students as well. The quality of education invariably declines when faculty members are overworked and underfunded. It becomes commonplace to have big class sizes, little access to teachers, and less individualized attention. Ironically, the very drive for excellence that rankings are meant to promote might also make learning less enjoyable for the people who matter most, the students.
It is evident that the current fixation on university rankings has skewed perceptions of what constitutes a truly exceptional university. Although aiming for international recognition is not always bad, it shouldn’t come at the expense of the people that make up any academic institution’s core. Universities must strike a balance between the need to empower and support their faculty and the pressures of global competition. This entails making investments in improved facilities, cutting back on pointless administrative duties, and fostering an atmosphere that supports faculty members’ success as researchers and teachers.
The ability of a university to promote learning, creativity, and social advancement should ultimately be used as the genuine indicator of its success rather than its ranking on a global scale. Only by placing people, particularly our faculty, at the center of higher education can this be possible. Short-term gains may result from the competition for status, but long-term excellence and significant influence will depend on the dedication to respecting and assisting academics, supported by adequate public funding.Â
The persistent underfunding of public sector universities is a significant underlying element aggravating these difficulties. Budgetary allotments for higher education have stagnated or even decreased in real terms, despite the increasing demands on this sector. Inadequate funding has gone beyond infrastructure and salaries. They also make it more difficult for the higher education institutions to hire bright professors, fund professional growth, and provide cutting-edge courses. It is practically hard for teaching faculty to meet the expectations of contemporary education, let alone improve their institution’s reputation internationally, due to a lack of resources. Additionally, as institutions battle to balance their budgets, students deal with increased tuition rates, greater class sizes, and fewer possibilities for individualized learning.
Academics and education advocates are increasingly in agreement that public sector academic institutions need enough funding in order to successfully carry out their missions. Academic Staff Associations, such as ASAs of universities and FAPUASA, are calling for significant increases in both recurring and development budgets to keep up with inflation and growing operating expenses, while calls for more government financing have been louder. Without sufficient funding, public institutions run the risk of slipping farther behind in both their primary duty of offering high-quality education to the general public and in international rankings.
The ability of a university to promote learning, creativity, and social advancement should ultimately be used as the genuine indicator of its success rather than its ranking on a global scale. Only by placing people, particularly our faculty, at the center of higher education can this be possible. Short-term gains may result from the competition for status, but long-term excellence and significant influence will depend on the dedication to respecting and assisting academics, supported by adequate public funding. The ambition of a top-notch education will remain unattainable for the majority of us until governments make a sincere commitment to providing public sector universities with sufficient funding.
