The inaugural seminar of the Pro-Chancellor’s Seminar Series took place on 10 November 2023 at CityU’s Eminence Galaxy, featuring Professor Richard M WALKER, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) of CityU. He presented an enlightening talk titled “Understanding University Rankings: What Gets Measured Gets Done”, shedding light on the quiddity of institutional measurement in a global context.
Photo 1: Dr Chung Shui-ming, GBS, JP, CityU’s Pro-Chancellor, introduced the new Seminar Series before the talk began. To commence the Pro-Chancellor’s Seminar Series and its first seminar, Dr CHUNG Shui-ming, GBS, JP, CityU’s Pro-Chancellor, delivered the opening remarks to introduce the new initiative. “This series is indeed a testament to CityU’s commitment to creating applicable knowledge for social and economic advancement,” said Dr Chung.
University rankings have evolved into a crucial metric for understanding and evaluating tertiary institutions’ quality and global standing. From the public management perspective, Prof Walker began by highlighting the four fundamental characteristics of ranking indicators: quantification, comparison of performances, repeated publication, and visualisation.
With numerous university ranking systems available in the higher education landscape, each employs distinct methodologies. Drawing insights from several theoretical models, Prof Walker dissected the prominent ranking systems, including Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings and Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, to break down the underlying factors that contribute to an institution’s placement.
Photo 2: Prof Christine HUANG Yi-hui, Head of Department of Media and Communication, further inquired about institutional measurement during the Q&A session.In a thought-provoking conclusion, Prof Walker posed a simple yet critical question: “Does the dog wag the tail or the tail wag the dog?” This metaphorical inquiry challenged the audience to contemplate whether universities shape their strategies and actions based on rankings’ expectations. The subsequent Q&A session also provided an opportunity for attendees to clarify the implications of the metrics and institutional advancement.
The Pro-Chancellor’s Seminar Series is a new initiative of CityU to leverage the vast network and expertise of Dr Chung to feature distinguished academics and professionals who share introductions to cutting-edge developments in diverse fields. Each seminar will provide a platform for intellectual exchange and provoke interdisciplinary discussion among academics and professionals, leading to new opportunities for research collaboration and impactful contributions to society.
Cover Photo: Prof Richard M Walker, Dean of CLASS, shared his in-depth analysis of university ranking systems in the Pro-Chancellor’s Seminar Series.
